Forever, Your Protector
by Writer of Dreams
Summary: COMPLETE!Miriallia is captured by a ZAFT soldier, taken to a ZAFT ship, and the only one there to protect her is someone she never thought she'd see again. DM, with a little AC, KL, and YOC later on.-CHAPTER 13 IS UP!COMPLETE!
1. Chapter1: Captured!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED, but I do own the plot and any characters I come up with later on.**

**Hey everyone! Writer of Dreams here! There are a few things I would like to say before you get started reading my Fanfic.**

**First of all, I would like to dedicate this Fanfic to Angel of Dreams because it was she who inspired me to write thisFanfic.**

**Second, I think I should tell you when this stroy takes place. It takes place after GS ended and right at the begining of GS2. I has some things in common with GS2, but not a whole lot.**

**Well, I think you are ready to start reading my story now. Enjoy!**

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She looked out over the crowd at the platform that was built at the far end of the large high school football field. The platform was decorated with bright colored banners to attract attention from onlookers. There were rows and rows of people, either protesting or supporting different sides of the debate taking place. The two opposing sides were debating whether Naturals and Coordinators should cohabitate. Ambassador Markham of the Earth Alliance was opposing Natural/Coordinator cohabitation, where as Chancellor Nartha, of ZAFT, was all for it. Markham tried to make his point by stating that Coordinators thought themselves above Naturals. So, by all means, they should be above Naturals…way above….in space, where they belong because they are nothing more than genetic disasters. Chancellor Nartha, however, tried to make to make her point by being about **the** **most** humble Coordinator alive. She stated that without Naturals, their race would eventually die out because of the low birth rates in the third generation. So, she made her plea that Coordinators **need** Naturals.

This got quite a rise from the, mostly Natural, audience. Even though they were in ORB and the audience was mostly from ORB, who tried to remain neutral and friends with both sides, they were still Naturals and as Naturals they were quite surprised to hear this plea.

These going ons, the crowd bustling and the emphatic discussion on stage, went on for several more minutes and were all captured on film by 18 year old, war photographer, Miriallia Haww. She clicked the camera every time one of the speakers made a wide, pleading, gesture, trying to capture as much emotion as possible. She was perched high up in one of the private viewing boxes, usually used during a game, but, in this case, used as **her** private photo shop. Even though she was a far distance from the crowd and platform, she was able to catch every thing with her zoom lens.

She was getting ready to take another picture when she heard an odd scuffling noise coming from behind the wall to her left. Miriallia tilted her head and strain her ears, trying to hear what it was. This not working, she rose from the kneeling position she was in by the window and crossed over the room to the door of the "private box". She didn't know why she was going to check it out. It was probably just a janitor or something. But, for some reason, her gut told her it wasn't. So, she quietly opened the door, so as to not frighten away whatever was making that noise. Once in the halls, she turned to her right and stood in front of a door that, she knew, was the door to where the noise had come from. She stood in front of the door for a few moments to compose and prepare her self for whatever was behind that door. She was scared, but, didn't know why. After slowing her heart rate, she slowly turned the knob, and to her relief, the door made no sound as she opened it. She stood in almost horror of what she saw. It was a man, in a ZAFT uniform, holding a sniper rifle that was aimed at the platform.

Her mind still boggled, she gaped, but immediately brought herself to click a quick picture. At the same time, the man was about to shoot and his finger started to pull the trigger. But, at the sound of the click of her camera, he was startled, a shot was fired, and he missed his target. He quickly turned to her and stood to his feet, ready to lunge at her. Although still stunned, she managed to turn on her heels and run off, the ZAFT soldier chasing her closely, at her heels.

Miriallia ran through what seemed like a maze of halls. She was afraid, because of the amount of ground she thought she was covering, that she had taken a wrong turn and was entirely lost, never to find her way out of the impending doom that was facing her. She ran down flights of stairs, losing her balance several times, but managing, somehow, to avoid falling. The man behind her seemed to think nothing of the exertion he was putting forth, following her through the maze of stairways and tunnels, where as she felt weak and she was barely able to get enough oxygen to her lungs. He was obviously a Coordinator.

She was fading; she didn't know how much longer she could stand it, when, suddenly, she saw her escape. It stood right in front of her. She picked up her pace and charged for the exit door. She pushed the handle handlebar, but the door remained unmoved. She tried harder and harder; the ZAFT soldier closing in on her, fast. But, the door seemed to have been barricaded or locked somehow. She glanced down and noticed a lock on the door, that wasn't there earlier, when she had come into the stadium.

Miriallia, frantically, tried to open the lock, knowing it to be her only escape. But, it was too late. He was upon her and she felt a sharp pain on the back of her head. Then the brunette fell to the ground, unconscious.

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**YAAY! I finished the first chapter of my very first Fanfic! YAAY! Anyway, (says as calming self down) don't worry about the cliffhanger because I gave you another chapter as well. So, it's not much of a cliff. Please review, but be somewhat easy on me becase this is my first Fanfic. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chappie and I hope you like the next chappie as well. Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2: Is That Really You?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED, but I do own the plot and the characters that I come up with later on.**

**Hey everyone! I'm back with the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it**

**P.S. The thoughts are in _Italics_.

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Miriallia awoke, later, with a pounding headache. She moved her hand across the back of her head and felt a somewhat large bump, where the ZAFT soldier had struck her. Feeling the bump, she flinched. She wondered how long she was out for and where she was.

Sitting up, Miriallia scanned her surroundings. She was in some sort of prison cell, but it was hard to tell since there were no lights in it. The only light she did have, came from far down the hall to the left and she couldn't see its source.

She was about stand up, to look through the bars at her further surroundings, when she heard footsteps from the hallway outside her cell. She didn't know why, but she quickly laid down, with her face turned away from the cell door, and made as though she was sleeping.

The footsteps came closer and closer, until, they stopped right outside her prison cell. then she heard him talk. "I know you're awake. I can hear your heavy breathing, which you're breathing wouldn't be so heavy if you **were** actually asleep. So, don't pretend like you ar asleep. You are awfully bad at it." He unlocked Miriallia's cell door and stepped in. "Anyway, it wouldn't matter if you really were asleep because you're to come with me".

At this, Miriallia rose from the hard matress, that was supposed to be her bed. The ZAFT soldier, who she recognized as the same man who had chased after her earlier, was clad in a red and black uniform and had dark brown hair, almost black, hair. His eyes were a mahogany color and, if she wasn't scared out of her wits at that moment, she would have thought thathe was rather handsome. But, she was scared; not just because she was in a cell with** him**, a would be asassin, but because she was with **him **on a **ZAFT** ship. Not to mention the fact that she was their prisoner.

He led her out into the hall and fell behind her, so he could watch her better, as they walked. He watched her as she walked, her smooth, shapely, hipsswaying back and forth, between the rows and rows of prison cells. "_Man! Too bad she's a natural. She's kinda cute_!", he thought and then they reached the end of the hall, where they joined with another ZAFT soldier, also clad on red.

The first ZAFT soldier, or would be asassin, moved on front of her, while the other one, who was not nearly as handsome, fell behind her, to make sure that there was no way she could escape. They led her out into another hallway.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Miriallia got up the courage to say something. "Where am I! Why am I here!" she demanded.

The ZAFT asassin, in front of her, immiediately stopped walking and threw her a silencing glare, over his shoulder.

This **did** silence her. She lowered her head and she remained quiet for the entire duration of their sojourn. They arrived, a few minutes after the glare incident, at the bridge. She meekly folowed the ZAFT soldiers into the bridge and they practically shoved her in front of a chair, which, she thought, must be the commander's chair. This was proven by the chair containing a silver haired, young looking, man, wearing a black and white uniform, which she knew was aZAFT commander's uniform. She could tell that the young commander had an attitude problem by the smug expression he held and the grim smile he wore.

Again, she decided to make her demands. "Where am I! What do...", she was abrubtly cut off.

But not before a certain blonde Coordinator perked his ears up at the sound of her sweet voice, "_Could it really be you?... It couldn't be... it just couldn't!", _but he was afraid to look for fear that her and her voice would just fade away into an illusion.

The silver haired Coordinator, who was the one on who cut her off, practically shouted at her, "I wil be the one asking the questions around here!"

This stunned her so much that she stood there, still as a rock, with her mouth wide open, gaping.

"Now," the Commander stated with a somewhat calmer tone to his voice, "who are you?"

Miriallia snaped out of her daze and answered immediately, "Haww. Miriallia Haww. I'm a war photographer."

"_Miriallia... it is you!" _, but the young man remained glued to his minitor, for fear she would disappear the minute he looked at her.

"A war phographer, eh?" the Commander responded. "Well I have a problem on my hands," and then the ZAFT asassin wispered something in his ear, "Two, actually. So, I'm told", He corrected himself. "However, one should be farely easy to take care of". Miriallia's mind was wandering to her camera, thinking abouth the pictures she had taken of the ZAFT soldier. that must be one of the problems he was refering to. The other had to be her. Because of these wanderings, she didn't hear the next command the silver haired man issued. "Elsman, confescate her film." he signaled for the blonde to do so and he rose, his head looking down to the floor, afraid to look at her, and disappointed that she didn't reply at the metion of his name.

She snapped out of her wanderings when she felt a slight tug at the camera she held in her hand. She looked up to find a blonde camera thief. But, that was all she could ,tell, was that he was blonde. His head was bent down and his, somewhat, unruly hair was strewn over his face, so she couldn't see what he looked like.

He took the camera from her hand and lifted his head doing so, just so he could catch a glimpse of her sweet face. "_Those eyes... she is even more beautiful than I remember her"._ He felt himself wanting to dive right into those two large pools of sky blue. He wasn't sure why, but he felt himself strongly drawn to her, wanting to take her away from here and hold onto her forever and protect her.

As he stared into her eyes, she stared into his. "_That hair... those eyes...", _she felt almost faint at the sight of those long missed, lavender, eyes and and a small blush appeared on her face. She hoped to god he didn't notice.

They remained this way, staring into each other's eyes, for several seconds, before Miriallia discovered that she was not dreaming and he was really standing right in front of her. But, just to make sure, she uttered, "is that you, Dearka?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

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**Don't you just love me for giving you that nice cliffhanger?( dodges heavy objects thrown at self) Sorry, but I wanted to ensure the fact that you will be back to read more. Besides, it's not as though it was a life threatning cliffhanger. Hehe. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think, but remember, this is my very first Fanfic, so please be gentle. **

**The next chapter will be entitled "So we meet again". I this chapter title from Angel of Dreams.**

**See you next Chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3: So, We Meet Again

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

**Hey everybody! I'm back with the third chapter.**

**Just to clarify a few things, this story only has things in common with GS2 as far as the time placement and the fact that Miriallia is a war photographer, Dearka has been demoted, Athrun is Cagalli's bodyguard, Kira and Lacus take care of orphans, and things like that. I don't know anymore about GS2 than that, really because I live in the USA and don't get to watch the series yet. Hey I haven't even gotten to see the end of GS. The information I have about GS2 is just what I've read in read ups. This story is just for fun!**

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"Is that you Dearka?" Miriallia could not believe what her eyes were seeing. "_Oh my…can't believe it's you… It's been so long, Dearka….. It's been two years!"_

There eyes were glued to each other for several moments until Miriallia felt another tug at her camera. Only this time, he gently took the camera out of the palm of her hands. He backed up away from her a little and this gave her an overall scene of how he looked. "_he's wearing a different uniform"_ Miriallia noticed that his uniform was green and white instead of the usual top gun uniform, which was red and black, that he had worn when he was captured by the Archangel. "_I think I liked you better in the red uniform. It made you look… so…important."_ But, she had to admit, he did, still, look good, even if she thought the uniform he was wearing didn't flatter him any.

As he pulled the camera from her grasp, he mouthed the words, "I'm sorry", and then kept staring at her. This unnerved her somewhat and caused a scarlet blush to flow to her cheeks, again.

"_Those eyes…I can't stop looking at her eyes! I still can't believe that it's you…that you're here…that you're right next to me…that you still remember me. Wait a second…you called be by my first name. You do still remember me!"_, Dearka was ecstatic about the new found revelation.

They were still in a semi-trance state until the Commander awakened them from it. "Well, since I'm not quite sure what to do with you at the moment, I think that I'll have you taken out of my sight", he stated calmly, "Jubin…"

"_So that is his name."_ Miriallia watched as the assassin responded to the name.

"Take a….a…take this natural back to her to her cell and get her out of my sight". The silver haired man commanded.

Dearka rolled his eyes "_Her name is Miriallia Haww. Man. You can't even remember a name for five seconds."_ Dearka felt like correcting the Commander, but, restrained himself.

Jubin grabbed Miriallia's arm and started to lead her away, but not before she reuttered her questions. "Where am I! What do you want with me!"

The Commander was starting to get aggravated. "Get her out of my sight!"

With this, Dearka threw him a mean, satire, glare over his shoulder.

"_Gosh, what his problem?"_ The Commander, who had known Dearka for several years, was flustered as to why he suddenly turned on him like that.

Jubin followed the Commander's orders and led Miriallia out of the bridge, with a not so gentle an embrace.

After a few minutes of contemplating what just happened and what he was going to do next, Dearka ran out of the bridge, without being dismissed, and went searching for Miriallia. He found her, already locked back in her cell, sitting on her hard bed, still dazed from that days happenings. He also found a curious Jubin. He was standing out side of her cell, watching her, eyeing her, as though he was somehow interested in her. "_Man. she is cute, though"_

Dearka walked up to him and told him to leave them alone for a few minutes. Jubin wasn't sure about it, but he ended up leaving them together. Dearka unlocked the cell door and strode in. Miriallia looked up when he did this. "Dearka?"

"Yeah, it's me. I came to talk to you." Dearka was nervous. "_Gosh…what is wrong with you, Dearka. You haven't acted nervous around a girl since you were in the third grade, when you asked the really popular girl to go out with you and she turned you down…flat!"_

"Oh?" Miriallia prompted, because he just suddenly stopped right after he said that.

"Yeah. It's been so long since we've seen each other…" Dearka was now officially groping for words. He didn't know what to say to this girl and he didn't know why. "It's good to see you, after all these years". It had actually only been two years, but it felt like an eternity to him.

"Yeah. It's good to see you too." Miriallia said this blandly, but was glad that he was glad to see her.

Dearka sat down next to her. "Woah! This bed is hard!"

"Yeah, I know."

"We aught to get this taken care of", Dearka was upset that this beautiful creature was being forced to sleep on a rock, or, at least the mattress felt like a rock. "I'm going to go talk to Yzak about this. You should be in actual quarters, not in a prison cell." Dearka stood up and walked over to the door. He unlocked it, opened it, and began to walk through it.

Just then, Miriallia stopped him. "Dearka!"

Dearka stopped dead in his tracks. His name sounded so good when it was said from her lips. It sounded so pure. "Yes?"

Miriallia, not knowing why she stopped him in the first place, racked her brain for a reason. "I…I just wanted to say thank you, for….for… for seeing what you can do about my living conditions".

Dearka nodded and left her to wonder at why she had such a hard time talking to him, why she felt so nervous, and why she blushed every time she looked into those beautiful lavender eyes.

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**YAAY! I finished another chapter. And pretty quickly too. I** **hope you all enjoyed this one. It has a little more Dearka/Miri than the others so you should like it more. Anyways, please leave a review after reading it. Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4: A Room for Miriallia

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

**Hey every one! I did my best to try to make this chapter longer. I hope it meets your specifications. Any ways, please review and tell me if it's any better.

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Dearka practically charged down the halls towards Yzak's office. "_He has no right to keep her in that disgusting place he calls a cell"_. When Dearka reached the door to Yzak's office he started hammering his fist on the door.

Yzak knew it was him. Dearka always pounded on some inanimate object when he was upset about something. The question was, what has he got to be upset over now? "Come in", Yzak ushered Dearka into his office.

Dearka had no more entered the room than he started complaining, as Yzak viewed it when he did this sort of thing. "Yzak, have you actually seen where she is being kept? The place is…is…disgusting!"

Yzak raised an eyebrow at him and uttered innocently, "may I ask who the "she" is that you are referring to?"

"Yzak you know very well who I am talking about! So don't pretend like you don't!" Dearka was highly annoyed that he could so easily forget** her**.

"Refresh my memory, Dearka." Yzak said, waving his hand in the air.

"Miriallia. That's who!" Dearka had been pacing, but stopped in order to tell Yzak her name.

Yzak, who knew very well who he had been referring to from the start, pretended to search his brain for the answer. "Miriallia…Miriallia… Oh! You mean that war photographer. Do you mean to tell me that her living quarters as a prisoner are unacceptable?"

"Yes. Hey, wait a second here. Why is she a prisoner, anyways?"

Yzak had hoped he wouldn't have to explain the situation to Dearka. After all he had some sort of personal feelings for her: that he could tell. "Well…she witnessed the assassination attempt on Ambassador Markham…."

Dearka interrupted him. "You mean the guy who is putting so much friction between us actually making peace with and cohabitation with Naturals?"

"The one and only" Yzak answered and then continued with his explanation. "Jubin was supposed to perform the assassination. But, apparently she stumbled upon him and he was startled and slipped up. He missed his target by the way. He is definitely not going to get a promotion from me any time soon. Well, he saw her and went after her. Not knowing what to do with once he got his hands on her, he took her back here. He didn't know whether he should kill her then and there".

"Kill her! How could he even consider killing her! You know she has connections. Her death would be investigated." Dearka was shocked.

"I know. That's why we haven't done anything with her yet. I am going to contact the supreme council tomorrow to see what is to be done." Yzak was all composed on the out side and yet, on the inside, he really was nerved racked. This was the first time he had had to do anything like this, making a decision that could strongly influence the way the peace talks were going. If he let her live, then the Earth Alliance would get angry at ZAFT. And if he had her killed, then Orb, the place she worked for, would get angry at ZAFT. It was a no win situation.

"You just can't kill her. Orb will find out and then you would be in hot water." Dearka pushed forward his idea of just letting her live and letting her go.

"I know, Dearka". Yzak sighed. "There isn't much I can do. ZAFT will probably have her executed so that there aren't any witnesses. They will make it look like an accident, or something." Yzak was concerned, not for Miriallia, but for his friend. It was unusual for him to act this way: Yzak was usually a pretty hard hearted individual. But, He knew, these past two years, that Dearka had fallen for someone. Up until this point, though, he didn't know who. Now he knew. It was her, Miriallia Haww. The girl who had put him in the most politically dangerous position of his career. "Dearka, there isn't anything I can do for her."

"I know." Dearka pondered it for just a moment and then remembered the reason he had come there in the first place. "Actually, you can give her some quarters of her own. Make her more comfortable for the time being."

"I suppose I could." Yzak looked serious for a moment as he pondered the idea. "Yes, I suppose I could. Alright, Dearka, take her to the habitat deck and find her some quarters, other than that "disgusting place I call a cell", Yzak laughed at himself and Dearka. Their conversation, once realizing that it wasn't getting them any where, changed to one of a bit lighter in precedence.

"Ok, Yzak", Dearka started to walk out of the room, but stopped once he had realized he almost made a mistake.

Yzak shook his head at him and said, "You still have a hard time thinking of me as your superior, don't you?" Dearka's only answer was a cringe. "Oh, whatever, dismissed." Dearka still had a hard time being the junoir officer because he used to be part of the red elite before he helped to protect the Archangel.

With that Dearka left his office almost immediately. He had to at least let her be more comfortable, even if she was going to die. "_DIE! She can't die, I won't let her. She is entirely innocent. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve this war. She deserves peace. I can't let her die. If I lose her I'd…I'd…" _Dearka didn't know what he'd do. It was still puzzling to him, why he cared what happened to her. He had never felt this way before.

Dearka walked on for several minutes with these thoughts in his head before he arrived at the prison cells. He started walking between the rows of cells, when he caught a glimpse of her. She was sitting on her bed, crying. He was taken aback_"Oh, god. She's crying. I can't let her cry. I hate it when she cries, especially when it's because of me"_ Dearka remembered when he was on the archangel, he had asked her why she was crying again? If it was because her good for nothing Natural boyfriend got himself killed. Oh, little did he know how close he was. He would have given anything to go back in time and prevent himself from saying what he did. He should have comforted her, not provoked her into trying to kill him.

Dearka walked over to her cell. Upon hearing him turning a key in the lock, she raised her head up just enough to see his lavender eyes and then put her head back into the pillow, to prevent him from seeing her tear stained face.

He walked into the room and walked over to her side. "_Oh, Miriallia, don't cry."_ Dearka bent to put a hand on her back to comfort her.

But, before he could do so, she quickly sat up and demanded, "Whyare youhere? What's going on?" she managed to keep all but a few tears from running down her cheeks.

Dearka gulped down his nervousness at talking at talking to her and answered, "Well, I got the Commander to let you stay in some real quarters" he tried to sound cheerful but she still knew that he was slightly disconcerted over something.

"Dearka, are they… are they going to…kill me?" another rush of tears decided to flow freely from her blue eyes. She was scared. She knew she had been a witness to something, that if they were smart, they wouldn't let her be a witness to much longer.

Dearka's words failed him just then. He didn't know what to tell her. That yes, in all probability, she would not live out the week. No, he couldn't tell her that. "I…I don't know. Look, Miriallia, don't cry." Dearka managed to compose himself in order to put his hand on her shoulder.

With that comforting touch, she immediately flung herself at him, hugging him around the neck and resting her head on his shoulder.

Dearka was so surprised. He didn't know what to do now. Her body against his felt so good and yet so awkward that he just sat there, stunned.

She cried into his shoulder, releasing all her frustrations and emotions into his, now sopping wet, jacket.

He couldn't bring himself to push her away. He didn't know what to do with her, but he certainly knew that he couldn't push her away when she was in need.

And then, she stopped crying. He looked down into her face. Her eyes were closed and the tears were no longer flowing. She had fallen asleep in his arms. He suddenly got very nervous. His dark face turned crimson as he felt her snuggle closer to him, tough how she managed to snuggle any closer, because she was already very close, remained a mystery to him.

Dearka, not sure what to do, cradled her in his arms for a few moments. He wanted to hold her like this forever. She felt so small and helpless. She needed someone to protect her. **He** had to protect her. He didn't know why, but he decided, then and there, that he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He would protect her from anything that threatened her well being. Even if it meant to protect her from ZAFT.

He stood up, with her in his arms. _"Man, she is light. I wasn't expecting her to be such a feather weight." _He couldn't just let her stay here on that rock of a bed. She had to be somewhere comfortable. He carried her out of the cell and down the hall. He crossed out into the connecting hall, receiving strange glances from the two guards that were posted at the prison doors. He carried her al the way to the habitat deck. He checked the first available room to see if he could put her there. The door was locked. He soon discovered that all the available rooms were locked. He must have to get some sort of key and he couldn't very well do that when she was in his arms. He walked on a bit more and then came across his quarters.

He pondered it a bit. "_Well, I could just leave her there long enough for me to get the key to one of the rooms. Yeah, that's what I'll do."_ He opened the door to his quarters. He walked in and laid her down on his bed. He pulled back the covers and put her underneath them. She looked kind of cold, so this seemed like a good idea.

He stood there, staring at her, her sweet face, her eyes, just staring, when he finally snapped out of his trance. "Miriallia, you are so beautiful." He said into the silence of his quarters because she was asleep and couldn't hear him. If she had been able to hear him, he wouldn't have said it. He turned and walked out of his room in search for a key.

He decided that the first place to look would be the janitorial closet. He rushed his way there. When he got there he discovered several keys, which might or might not be keys to the available quarters. He grabbed all that he could and ran back to his quarters.

When he got there, he found Miriallia still sleeping. She had gotten quite cozy up to his pillows and seemed very comfortable in his nice cushiony bed. She looked so pleasant. She must have been having a nice dream. He couldn't bring himself to disrupt her peaceful slumber, so, he left her there, and he went in search of one of the rooms that the keys went to. So, she lay there till morning.

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**Hey! Sooooo, is it long enough for ya'll? I will try my very best to write longer chapters, but it will be hard. So, I will probably update less often. I hope you realize that. Anyways, I hope you liked it!**

**The next chapter will be entitled "Awake". Miriallia wakes up in Dearka's room and assumes the worst. hehe, poor Dearka. hehe**

**I though I would just give you that preview to wet your appetite for the next chapter! Bye! see you next chappie!**


	5. Chapter 5: Awake, Contemplative, and Bad...

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED, but I do own the plot and all the characters I come up with on my own**

**Hey Everyone! I'm back! I Tried to make htis chapter as long as I could. I hope that it is long enough.**

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The next Morning, Miriallia's eyes fluttered open dreamily, because she was still half asleep. The first things her eyes saw was the ceiling. She was about to close her eyes when she realized something. "_Wait a second! This isn't the ceiling of the cell I was in."_

Miriallia quickly and abruptly sat up and searched her surroundings. "_Where am I? I don't remember coming here."_ The room she was in was rather plain, better than the cell she was in, but still rather plain. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of furnishings. There was only a bed, a dresser, a desk, and a chair for in front of the desk. But, there was one thing that was clear. It wasn't an empty room, like Dearka had said he was going to find for her. Instead, it was rather well lived in. There were a few pieces of clothing strewn about._ "Obviously whoever lives here isn't a very neat person_" She was slightly taken aback because she always, always, kept her room neat and tidy and she would never allow a room of hers to get into this much disarray.

She got up from the bed that she was lying on and started to walk about the room. Then, she heard a noise coming from behind a door. It sounded like water running. She quickly strode over to the door from whence the noise was coming. She grabbed the door knob and, after quickly composing her self, she flung the door wide open.

The door didn't make very much noise, so it wasn't heard by the person in the shower that someone had just entered the bathroom. Miriallia looked quizzically at the shower stall. It was one of those showers that have the glass door that is semi- transparent, but you're not really able to see very much because the glass is kind of bubblely looking. She couldn't make out who was in there, but she could tell that, whoever it was, they had a very nice, muscular body. The person also had very dark skin and lighter hair.

Then it dawned on her. "_Dearka!"_ Surprised, she walked out of out of the bathroom and closed the door.

Dearka heard the door close. So, he opened the shower stall, only to find that no one else was in the bathroom with him. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, not even bothering to dry off. "_I think I might have some explaining to do"_ he thought as he opened the bathroom door and saw Miriallia, her back turned towards the door.

"Miriallia? Are you ok?" Dearka was about to go over to her and turn her around, when she did it herself.

Miriallia turned around to face Dearka. Upon seeing him, her face, which already had a blush on it from walking in on him in the bathroom, became an almost vibrant red at seeing him with only a towel around his waist, revealing his muscular upper torso. "Dearka? What does this mean?" she asked, motioning with her hands towards the bed. Dearka had a confused look on his face until she added, "I slept in your bed?"

Dearka flushed beet red and stuttered. "No!.. Nononono. Nothing….nothing happened!"

Miriallia looked skeptic. "So, we didn't… you know" She made some obscure gesture with her hands.

"No!" Dearka shouted and tripped over himself. "I haven't ever done…well… you know, with anyone, especially not you!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Miriallia took offense at this.

"What?... Oh!" recognition spread across his face. "I didn't mean it like that. I would be more than happy to…but, I would never take advantage of you just because you fell asleep in my arms." Dearka was flustered and could barely get the words out.

"_More than happy to? You haven't ever done that with anyone?"_ Miriallia thought, confused, but said out loud, "I see. So, what **did **happen?"

Dearka went over and sat on his bed, thinking about the best, and least flammable, way to say it. "Well, you see. I had told you that I was going to find you a room…"

"Yes. And it seems that you found me yours, am I right?" Miriallia interrupted him, fumingly.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. You see, you fell asleep, crying in my arms, so I carried you to one of the empty rooms…"

"Wait a second! You **carried **me?" Miriallia sat down next to him, on the bed.

This little maneuver didn't go unnoticed by Dearka because he blushed the minute she sat down next to him. "Yes. Anyway, Ijust left you and I went to sleep in the empty room." He heaved a sigh. "So, you see, we didn't do anything".

Miriallia smiled her sweet smile.

"_Oh god, I love her smile!"_ Dearka couldn't take his eyes off her.

"I understand now, so don't worry. I'm not mad at you any more." Miriallia thought a moment. "So, you haven't been with anyone?"

Dearka flushed at being asked so personal question. But, he had been the one to mention it. "No… Oh, look at the time! If I don't leave now I'll be late for my shift!" Dearka ran back into the bathroom to change his clothes and also to avoid the very personal question just addressed to him.

Miriallia smiled her sweet mischievous smile. "_I have to admit. It is cute the way he stumbles over himself like that." _Miriallia wasn't quite sure why she thought that, but she was beginning to realize that he was a very nice young man.

Miriallia sat there, thinking to herself for a few moments, when Dearka came running out of the bathroom. "I have to go now. You will probably have to stay here, at least until lunch time, when I can take you to another room." Dearka speedily told her as he gathered a few things to take with him, such as some random papers and his hand gun. "Sorry, Miriallia." He stated and ran out of his quarters, leaving Miriallia alone in his room.

Miriallia sat on his bed, looking about his messy room. "_as long as I'm here, I might as well clean up for him a bit"_ Miriallia stood up and proceeded to tidy things up a bit. She found several articles of clothing stashed under his bed and she neatly folded them and laid them in his dresser drawers. She rummaged around through his dresser, tidying it.

Miriallia poke her hand through his pile of unfolded clothes, in his dresser, searching for a missing sock that went to the one she was now holding in her hand, when she hit something odd shaped at the bottom of the drawer. She clasped her fingers around it and pulled it out. When she did, her fingers trembled under its weight. She knew what it was. "_It must be his extra hand gun!"_ Miriallia mind tumbled around with thoughts of what she could do now._ "I could use it to escape from here. I could shoot the door down and make a run for the docking bay._"

Miriallia shook her head. "_No, I wouldn't have a chance. There are too many ZAFT officers patrolling the halls. I wouldn't get past them. They'd shoot me down with out a thought. Besides, I may be perfectly safe where I am, they may not kill me after all. I am pretty safe because I am allied with ORB and they will keep me from coming to any harm. I probably won't be harmed so I'll be fine. Besides I have Dearka here to keep me safe." _Miriallia was surprised by what her own mind was saying. "_ Dearka keep me safe? Why should he do that? He's with ZAFT. Right now, he should be my enemy because ZAFT is who is keeping me prisoner."_ But, for some reason, she felt safer, knowing that Dearka was there on board. She still couldn't figure out why. "_I don't understand. I'm not that worried that I will be harmed. Kinda like how I felt with Toll. Oh! Miriallia! What do you think you're doing comparing Dearka and Toll? They are two very different people!"_ Miriallia couldn't believe her own mind. It was taking her on these random thoughts that she didn't want to explore at the moment. So, she forced herself to come back to realization. She remembered the gun in her hand and she promptly stuffed it back into the dresser drawer.

Miriallia, ignoring the gun, shuffled through his drawer some more, trying to sort out his clothes. After sorting that one drawer, she moved onto the next. She folded the clothes on top and progressively moved towards the bottom, folding the clothes. After this was done, she moved on to the bottom and final drawer. She opened it up, for this one was actually closed, and discovered that it was neatly arranged, unlike the others. He must have either not used this drawer very often, or was more concerned about it's contents well being. On top lay his old red elite uniform, the very one she saw him wear on the Archangel. She was about to close the drawer up, since it obviously didn't need straightening, when she caught a glimpse of the corer of a picture she recognized. It had been taken right after the war and it was a picture of Kira, Lacus, Cagalli, Athrun, Sai and her. But, the place where she was on the picture was cut out. Her face and upper torso was entirely missing from the picture. "_What the…"_ She was mildly creped out by this. She had found a picture with her head cut out of it. She wasn't sure what to think.

She quickly placed the picture back in the drawer and pushed it closed, to get it all out of her sight.

She stood up and paced back and forth on Dearka's bedroom floor. She pushed the picture out of her brain and tried to focus on something else. She started to clean up some more, but, vowed not to look in any more drawers.

* * *

Dearka worked speedily all through out the day. As it turned out, he was too busy to eat, not to mention leaving and taking Miriallia to her new room. So, when his shift finally ended, he rushed out of the bridge, speedily.

But, before he could actually step out of the bridge, he heard Yzak's voice usher him back. "Just a minute, Elsman".

"_I hate it when he calls me by my surname."_ Dearka sighed and turned to walk towards Yzak. "Yes, Commander Joule?" Dearka also hated referring to Yzak as his superior.

But, it seemed to please Yzak because a small smile played across his lips. "Come to my office." Yzak got up from his chair on the bridge and walked over to the door leading to his office, which was connected to the bridge for convenience.

Yzak lead Dearka into his office and before Dearka could take a seat Yzak stated grimly, "ZAFT has ordered the immediate execution of Miss. Haww."

Dearka was upset by this, but tried to make light of it so his friend wouldn't see the hurt in his features. "You just don't beat around the bush, do you Yzak?"

"I find that it comes to no use. You still end up with the same result either way you chose to introduce the point." Yzak stated in the monotone voice he used when he wasn't losing his temper.

Dearka bent his head down, sullenly. "I know. I was just hoping that it wouldn't turn out like this: that ZAFT would value its relations with ORB more than the Earth Alliance." Dearka reached in his pocket and pulled out a wallet. He flipped it open and beheld a small cut out picture, to Yzak. "And that I might be able to be with her." Dearka pushed the picture in front of Yzak's face. "Miriallia. She is so beautiful. Don't you think?" Dearka looked almost as though he was going to cry. But, he pushed the sobs, that were threatening to come, back down his throat so his friend wouldn't think the less of him, seeing him cry. "I think I'm in love with her, Yzak." Dearka stated this with finality so Yzak couldn't even try to pursue it. It was hard enough for him to just utter it.

"I'm sorry, Dearka. But, I have to follow my orders." Yzak looked truly concerned for his dear friend's feelings.

"Can you at least give her till tomorrow? That way I can tell her tonight when I go back to my room to get her. It will give her time to adjust." Dearka pleaded this one point with him.

Yzak nodded. "Alright, I'll give her till tomorrow." Yzak dismissed Dearka but, stopped him as he was about to leave the office. "Did you say that you have to go back to your room to get her? You mean she spent the night in your room?"

Dearka didn't answer. Instead, he just flashed Yzak a Mischievous smile and left his office.

Dearka walked rather quickly towards his quarters. When he got there he walked in and greeted Miriallia. "Hi Miriallia! How are you? Did you do ok while I was gone? I'm sorry I'm late but I was swamped with work, so I just now got the chance to take you to your new quarters. You aren't hungry are you?" Dearka said this so fast that she wasn't even able to put a word in.

Miriallia stood up and said, just as fast, "I did fine Dearka. And I completely understand about your not getting me till now. It's alright. I asked one of the guards out side to bring me some food, and they did." She assured him.

"Good. I'll show you to your room." He grabbed a hold of her wrist and practically yanked her out of his bedroom. He was frantically searching his brain for the best way to tell her that she was going to die tomorrow. He couldn't think of one.

They arrived at the quarters he had chosen for her; they were rather nicer than his. He unlocked the door and walked with her into the room. Miriallia looked around a bit but, then, noticed Dearka muttering to himself. "Dearka, is something wrong?"

"No, no…well…actually, yes." Dearka was thinking of the best way to word it.

"Yes?" Miriallia prompted.

"I just found out that ZAFT has ordered you to be executed because of the assassination attempt you witnessed." Dearka blurted it out as fast as he could.

"Oh!" Miriallia stood in utter bewilderment for a moment and then gathered her senses. "When are they having me killed, exactly?"

"Miriallia, don't you are that you are about to die?" Dearka couldn't understand why she was suddenly appearing so brave. He knew he wasn't that brave right now.

"Because, Dearka. I've kind of prepared myself for this, just in case it was to happen. Besides," she sat down on her bed, "I'll be dying for a just a righteous cause." She straightened herself up, making her appear all the more noble to Dearka. "I'll be dying for the sake of peace." With this, though, she let out a single tear.

Dearka saw this and went to her side. With the flick of one of his long fingers, he wiped the tear off her cheek. "Don't cry, Miriallia. I'll figure something out." With that, he turned and abruptly walked out of her room. He couldn't bare to see her cry anymore.

He made his way back to his room, somewhat calmed down. When he walked in, he saw how clean the place was. "_Wow! I haven't seen this place this clean since I moved in."_ He got undressed and got into bed, for, by this time, it was late. He turned out the lights and contemplated what he could do to save her from this predicament. She was going to die and he didn't want her to die. He wanted to continue seeing her smile and those big blue eyes that were full of vitality and life. _"I want to hold and protector her forever…I want to see her face when I come home…I want to…want to…"_ And with those thoughts, he drifted off to sleep, leaving the problem to be contemplated only in his dreams.

* * *

**Do you love me or what, for giving you that really nice cliffhanger? Hehe.Don't worry, though, cause I should post the next chapter soon! I am entitling it "The Solution". It's kinda corny, now that I mention it, they are all kinda corny, but it's the best I can think of. (shruggs shoulders). Oh well. **

**So, what do ya'll think? Was it long enough? I think it was the longest one that I've written. please review after reading. **

**Thanks. See you next Chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6: A Solution and Facing Death

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or it's characters, but I do own my plot and any new characters I think up.**

**Hey everyone! I'm back with chapter 6. I hope you all enjoy it! I am finally going to start introducing some of the main haracters from the orgonal series.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

That night, a certain blonde with golden brown eyes visited Dearka's dreams. She was standing very proud and confidant like. She was beginning to say something when Dearka awoke from the dream shouting her name, "Cagalli!" He quickly got out of bed and flew over to his desk.

He turned on the computer counsel and a Woman with dark green hair asked, "What can I help you with, Mr., Elsman?" said the ZAFT operator on the other line.

"I need you to patch me through to ORB. I need to talk to Representative Atha."

"Very well, sir." The screen blinked and then he saw another woman appear on the screen.

"How can I help you sir?" said a very pretty Natural with long black hair, and lavender blue eyes. She also had purple streaks through her hair and wore a sweet purple lip gloss.

"I need to speak to Miss. Atha. It's an emergency." Dearka said impatiently

"Yes, well, representative Atha is asleep right now But, I would be happy to leave a mes….." She started in her fun cheerful voice.

Dearka interrupted her before she could get any further. "I said it's an emergency!" He shouted at the screen.

"O…K… I'm patching you through, now." The secretary said with a blank look of surprise upon her face.

The next thing Dearka knew, he saw the screen blink and show a room, an empty room. It had furniture and stuff, but he couldn't see anyone. The room seemed to be completely devoid of life.

Just then, though, he heard someone scuffling around, probably Cagalli getting dressed. Then, she appeared in front of the screen saying, "This had better be good! I was taking a perfectly good snooze when **you** woke me up. By the way, who are **you**?" apparently she didn't recognize him.

"I'm Dearka Elsman. I was onboard the Archangel for a time…"

"Oh! I remember you now! You are one of Athrun's friend, am I correct?" A look recognition spread across her face.

"Yes. We were part of the same squadron." Dearka said entirely unenthusiastically.

"Oh, in that case, what can I help you with?" Cagalli became entirely professional like.

"Do you remember Miriallia Haww?" Dearka started out his explanation for waking her up.

"Yes… she is a war photographer for ORB and a friend of my brothers. Why?" Cagalli looked curious.

"Well. Lets just say that she saw something ZAFT didn't want her to and so they have her prisoner and they plan on executing her tomorrow, actually today, now that I think about it." He said looking over at his alarm clock that read O four thirty three a.m.

Cagalli jumped back in her seat with this proclamation. "They are going to kill her? Man, they have gull! They would kill an innocent ORB civilian? That is just like ZAFT, killing those who are innocent."

"Hey! I'm with ZAFT and I'm not trying to kill her, I'm trying to save her." Dearka was offended but, he really knew that that was not what she meant.

"Gosh, I'm sorry! Jeez, you'd think you knew I was just upset…" Cagalli paused for a moment, thinking about something. "Hey, why are you trying to help her, anyway?"

With that, Dearka bowed his head, unsure of how to explain his feelings for Miriallia and ashamed that she might think him weak if he told her that he thought he was in love with this particular ORB citizen.

But, this was all the answer Cagalli needed. "_Boy, he's really got it bad. Doesn't he?"_ " Never mind. I understand." Cagalli knew that it wouldn't have been the wisest of things to do of she pursued it, even though that was really what she wanted to do. She loved to tease guys, especially Athrun. But, whether it was due to maturity or her being an ORB representative now and having to rule a country, she knew that it would not have helped.

He was obviously hurting. She knew she would be if Athrun was about to be executed. So, she let it drop.

"Can you think of any way that we can help?" Dearka pleaded. "Maybe you could talk to ZAFT and get them to release her."

"I might. What time is her execution for?" Cagalli looked like she was pondering something.

"It's at O fourteen hundred, today. Why?" Dearka didn't seem to realize why this was of any importance.

"It let's me know how long I have. Don't worry, Mr. Elsman. I will save her." Cagalli thought she sounded very noble.

Dearka was relieved. "Thank you Miss. Atha." Dearka was about to turn off the screen and so was Cagalli, when he added, "Oh, and make sure that your secretary knows what an emergency is."

"Oh?" Cagalli raised her brows.

"Never mind. It's not important." Dearka cut off the link and went back to his bed.

He still had a couple of hours that he could sleep. He felt tremendously better now that he was ninety-nine percent positive that Miriallia would be rescued. Buy then there was that one percent chance that Cagalli would not be able to come through for him. This worried him greatly. He laid down in bed once more, but couldn't bring himself to close his eyes, not while she was sleeping with the dread of, once she woke up for the day, of never being asleep again.

Dearka didn't go to sleep again. He just lay there, looking at the ceiling and thinking about Miriallia. "_She is the most beautiful woman I have ever met. I don't know what I would do without her_." He thought and then out loud he said, "I...…I…..I love her_." _Dearka almost forced himself to utter those three words as a small crystal like tear crept from his eye. He knew they were true, but it was still hard for him to say them, especially since **she** was facing death that day. He loved her so much that he didn't think he could live without her by his side. In fact, he knew he couldn't. She had become everything to him. And all he wanted was for her to feel the same way about him. But, he didn't think she cared. She may have liked him as a friend, but somehow, he didn't think there was anything more to it than that.

He lay there, contemplating these things for the entire time until he had to get up for work, when his alarm went off, for it did because he had forgotten to turn it off. He sat up and slowly and unthinkingly got dressed.

He had a busy day in front of him. Hr had to regulate the shield barriers, scan the debris field, work on one of the GUNDAM's OS, and, to top it all off, he had to save Miriallia from a gruesome and horrible death.

After getting dressed, he left his room, not even eating breakfast, and headed towards the bridge. When he got there, he saw Yzak, sitting in his chair as usual, only he looked a lot more contemplative than usual.

Upon entering the bridge, Yzak noticed Dearka's mournful face. "_Poor guy. I hate to do this to him. Dearka's my best friend and I'm going to kill the only person that he has ever loved. What kind of friend am I?"_ Yzak was truly sorry for what he knew he had to do. "_It's not that I like the girl or anything, because she seems to be an utter brat and she seems to have made Dearka fall for her and she's not even returning the feeling in the slightest. But, I don't want to hurt Dearka. He's like my brother."_

Yzak couldn't imagine how Dearka let himself get tangled with a girl, no less a Natural girl. "_Girls are nothing but trouble."_ Was Yzak's personal view point on the matter.

"Hey Dearka! Come here a second." Yzak commanded his best friend.

Dearka walked over with a very mournful face that looked as though he could cry at any moment. This made Yzak feel even worse.

"Dearka, I'm so sorry for what I have to do today, you know that don't you?"

"Yeah I know it." Dearka said that but Yzak didn't think he really meant it, probably out of is own gilt.

"And you know that, if I could, I would do anything to help Mir… Miri…Miss Haww, right?" Yzak stammered over her name. "_God Yzak! You are trying to make amends with your friend and you can't even say the stupid girl's name!"_

Dearka rolled his eyes, ever so slightly, but answered, "Yes, Yzak, I know you have to do this. It's your job. You can't disobey orders. I understand. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

Yzak was much relieved by this. "Thank you Dearka." He said and he dismissed him.

Dearka went back to his station and continued pondering and thinking over the situation his girl was in. "_Cagalli, please come through for me!"_ he prayed. At first, he was practically positive that Cagalli would help. But, as time passed and the time of Miriallia's date with death neared, he started to get concerned that she wouldn't think she was important enough to help, that Miriallia was just a person and another casualty of war. He was afraid that the only reason Cagalli said she would help was to get rid of him so she could go back to sleep. He hoped to god that this was not the case.

Time passed rather too fast for Dearka. The time was now O thirteen hundred forty two, only eighteen minutes till Miriallia's execution. He tried thinking up another plan, just in case Cagalli didn't come through for him. But, every other plan, he realized, would mean that they would both, most likely be killed and where would that get them. No. He would have to wait for Cagalli to take action. But, He also realized, that if worst came to worst, he would, in all likely hood, try to save Miriallia, even if it meant his own death because she was everything to him and he couldn't live without her.

It was now ten minutes before Miriallia's time of demise and Yzak thought it was time to get ready. "Jubin, go get Miss Haww. It is time for her execution."

Jubin left and returned a few minutes later with Miriallia, hand cuffed and frightened. Dearka couldn't stand the sight of his beloved in balls and chains, so to speak, with that frightened, dreading, look upon her face.

Jubin put Miriallia in front of Yzak and awaited his next order. Yzak watched the clock till it reached the time.

Then he stated loud and clear, "Ready".

Jubin got his gun out of its holster.

"Aim"

Jubin lifted his gun and aimed it for Miriallia's heart.

Miriallia straightened herself up in a proud brave stance, ready to face death.

"Fire!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

**HAHA! I left you with another cliff hanger! I felt like leaving you all with a real cliffhanger today. And I do believe this is a real cliff hanger, Yun Fei. **

**Anyways, as for next chapter... Will Cagalli come through?...Or will Dearka have to go to drastic measure to save Miriallia?... And will Miriallia live to see****chapter 8?... All these questions will be answered inchapter 7 "A Life Saving Proposition"**

**I hope to update soon and relieve you of your missery! See you next chappie!**


	7. Chapter 7: Life Saving Propositions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or its characters. But I do own my plot and any characters I make up.**

**Hey Everyone! I'm back with the next chapter! I'm sorry for leaving you with a cliffhanger the last time but I felt like doing it. But, as I promised, I am back with the next chapter within a very short time. So here it is. Enjoy!**

"Ready"

Jubin got his gun out of its holster.

"Aim"

Jubin lifted his gun and aimed it at Miriallia's heart. "_Oh, man! I had hoped that I wouldn't have to be the one to shoot her. But, oh well. Orders are order, even if she is extremely cute!"_

Miriallia straightened herself up into a proud, brave stance, ready to face death. "_I can't believe this is happening. Figures, after all these years I finally meat him again and I'm getting executed! Miriallia, why are thinking about him, Dearka, at a time like this. You are about to be killed and the only thing you can think of is that you weren't able to spend more time with him. You should be thinking of Toll, not him." _These thoughts all went through her head in a matter of seconds.

"Fire"

Jubin's finger started to pull the trigger. His finger was getting tighter and tighter. It seemed like he was taking an eternity to pull the trigger.

But, just as he was actually about to do so, one of the communications officers on the bridge spoke up. "Commander. I'm receiving a communication."

"Belay that order, Jubin!" Yzak shouted, somewhat relieved. "Where is it from?" he asked the meek girl sitting at his right at a computer consol.

"It's from ORB, sir."

"ORB, eh." Yzak shifted in his seat uneasily. He had a pretty good idea what this meant. "Put it on."

"Yes, sir." The girl fingered the consol and then the screen lit up with the face of a very stern looking blonde, who was not in a good mood.

"Ah, Representative Atha, I presume?" Yzak was going to choose his words very carefully, for he had heard about this woman and she had always been referred to as a spitfire.

"Yes, Commander Joule." Cagalli said without any emotion and then she got right to the point of her communiqué. "I have it from a reliable source, that you are holding an ORB citizen, by the name of Miriallia Haww, prisoner. Do you admit to this?" Cagalli eyed him suspiciously.

"_I wonder who this reliable source was."_ Yzak thought as he looked over to Dearka, who now had a very relieved look on his face. "If I confirm this then what would be the outcome?"

Cagalli smiled her evil smile that Athrun hated ever so much. "If you confirm this, then I would strongly recommend that you turn her over to ORB." Cagalli paused. But, upon seeing Yzak start to say something, she added, "If you don't, Commander Joule, then you will have to answer for your actions to your country for stating a war."

Yzak sat bolt upright in his chair. "You wouldn't dare!"

Cagalli was not the least taken aback by this comment. "Oh, wouldn't I just. It might be rather fun to start a war. You never know." Cagalli gave a slight evil chuckle that originated from her core. "As you know, I represent ORB and so what I say is what ORB says. I don't think that ORB would like you to dispose of Miss Haww, because dispose of her I know is what you were planning on doing. In fact, I believe that that was what you were about to do when I interrupted. She is a very prominent citizen, not just a nobody off of the street. So, if you happen to cause her untimely demise, the people of ORB would notice her absence. If you kill her, all of ORB will know and I am sure that they will be more than happy to kick some Coordinator but, if you catch my drift?" Cagalli hoped he wouldn't call her on her bluff. ORB was still in a state of turmoil. They couldn't handle going to war again. She, of all people, could not make them fall back into that depressing state they were in two years ago.

Yzak felt himself in a quandary. He couldn't just let this girl go so she could blab the fact that ZAFT tried to kill one of Earth Alliance's Ambassadors. But, if he didn't turn Miriallia over to ORB, then he would be the cause of an all out war. He hated Miriallia for two reasons. One, that she, a natural, had captured his best friend's heart and made him weak, and two, that she was probably going to get him fired, or worse, executed. There really was nothing he could do. "Alright, let me talk it over with ZAFT." He wasn't sure if she was bluffing. He just wasn't sure. From what he had heard, this crazy lady seemed to be capable of anything and from what he had seen of her, he very strongly believed it.

Cagalli lifted her head up proud. "I will give you one hour to respond. If you do not, then I will know what action to take." Then Cagalli disappeared from the screen and left it blank.

Yzak sat in his chair, rubbing his temples. He was starting to get a headache. "_God I hate natural women. They have this way of always getting what they want."_ Yzak turned to look in Dearka's direction. He was smiling. Dearka Elsman was smiling when he, his best friend, was in the greatest predicament of his life. Natural girls took good, decent men, and turned them inside out till there heart seemed to rule them and their brains just oozed out of there head making all practical thoughts float away from their mind.

"Jubin, take Miss Haww back to her quarters." Yzak couldn't believe that he had allowed her to stay in actual quarters. She was their prisoner and should be treated as such. Yzak shook his head.

Jubin took Miriallia out of the bridge and guided her back to her room. On their way there he decided to strike up a conversation with this pretty girl. "So, Miriallia, now that you are going to live, what do you plan to do once back in ORB?"

"What do you mean? I may **not** live. Commander Joule still has to contact ZAFT as to what to do with me." Miriallia was slightly confused.

Jubin laughed. "No, it's pretty much a done deal. I wouldn't be surprised if you were to be returned as soon as tomorrow." Jubin looked down to the floor as he added, "You know, I sorry."

Miriallia tilted her head. "Sorry for what?"

"For taking you captive, for taking you here, for putting you in this situation." Jubin looked up into her blue pools and felt himself wanting to jump into them. He now understood Dearka's fascination with this natural girl.

"Oh." Miriallia looked bewildered. "Well, that was your job."

"Actually it wasn't. My job would have been to kill you on the spot." He said with a somewhat rueful grin.

"Then why didn't you?" Miriallia looked up into his strong face, curious.

Jubin smiled.

It wasn't a bad smile. But then, it still didn't compare with Dearka's. "_Miriallia! What are you thinking? Dearka has a nice smile? Well, now that I mention it… but no, Toll had the best smile I've ever seen."_ She told herself but somehow, she couldn't but get that icky feeling she always did when she was lying.

"I came brought you back because I didn't want you to get killed, but I also knew that I couldn't just leave you there, so I took you."

"But, why should you care what happened to me? Why didn't you just kill me? You are an assassin after all."

Jubin couldn't help but flinch at this revelation. He was an assassin. He had never been ashamed of it before. But then, why now? Why was he suddenly developing a conscious? He realized why. "Because you were cute."

Miriallia's face heated up into the biggest blush she had ever had. The biggest of all but one. That one was on the Archangel two years ago. It was when Dearka had said that she was cute. "_Oh! There I go again. Thinking about Dearka. I can't possibly like him, can I?" _Miriallia shook her head. " _No, it just reminded me of him. I mean who wouldn't blush when a guy says your cute?"_ Miriallia made excuses for herself.

Miriallia didn't reply to Jubin's exclamation. She tried to pretend that he hadn't said it at all. So, they walked on in silence. Finally, they reached her room. "Thank you, Jubin." I think I will go get some rest now". Miriallia walked through her door. But, just as she was about to close it, Jubin crossed through the doorway as well. He practically pushed his way inside her room. Miriallia tried to protest and get him to leave, but he was too strong for her. "My my, isn't this a nice room. It's better than Dearka's. But, I think you already knew that."

Miriallia was starting to get really aggravated with him. "Jubin, what do you want?" She demanded.

"I just wanted to get to know you better. That's all." Jubin casually sat down on her bed.

This little maneuver was not lost on Miriallia. "Jubin, I think you should leave. Now!"

"How bout, no!" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him. She could feel his warm breath beating on her forehead. "How about just one little kiss before I leave, huh?" He said as he pulled her lips into his, hard.

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**BRIDGE:

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**

Yzak got up from his chair right after Jubin walked off with Miriallia. He went into his office with an extremely serious look on his face. As he passed Dearka, he said, "You wouldn't happen to know who her "reliable source" was, would you Dearka?" Yzak tossed him an evil grin and Dearka was at a loss for words. Yzak didn't wait for a response, after all he already knew the answer, and went into his office.

Several minutes later, Yzak returned with an even sterner look on his face than when he entered. He walked up to Dearka and whispered into his ear. "Dearka, I want you to go get Miss Haww and bring her here." Dearka started to leave and then Yzak stopped him, "Oh, and Dearka, for your own peace of mind, she can live, on one condition." With that Dearka ran out of the bridge, excited that his girl was to live her life to the full.

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**MIRIALLIA'S ROOM:

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**

Miriallia was frantically trying to push him Jubin away from her. But, he was too strong. He was a coordinator and she could tell by his strength.

When he finally broke from their kiss, he uttered, "Miriallia, I want you to be the mother of my children." He said this casually and so happen stance like that Miriallia was even more dazed.

"The mother of your children!" She shouted. "But…but…I don't want to be the mother of your children!" Her voice was ear splintering.

"Calm down, baby. I won't make you do it right now. Maybe later, though." Jubin was calm about his that she felt herself going over the edge, wanting to gnaw on his arm.

"Later! There is not going to be any later! You are going to leave right now!" She tried to pull him up off her bed, but he was too heavy for her.

Instead, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him again. He flung her down on the bed beside him, putting himself on top of her. But, before he could try anything, she jabbed him in the groin, making him cry out in pain and land on the floor.

She started to run to the door, to get out of there, when he recovered and jumped up off of the and out of the fetal position he had been in. "Hey wait! I'm sorry." He grabbed her and turned her around to face him. "Just listen Miriallia. If all else fails and they do sentence you to death, and if you are carrying my baby, then they would have to allow you to live. Think of it as…as a precaution." He started to wrap his arms around her.

She forced him to release her and she said, "No! That is one precaution that I do not care to take. Now get out!" she yelled in his ear.

"Fine, but remember, if you die, don't say I didn't try to help." He started to move towards the door.

"If I'm dead, then I won't be able to say anything." She pushed him towards the door but he swung around in her and pressed him self into her lips once more. She tried to squirm away, but it was no use. He had her pinned. He was holding her hands, keeping her from taking a swing at him, and holding her against the wall in a way that prevented her from knocking him in the groin with her knee. He learned pretty fast.

Just then, through all the mind numbing affects of the hard, brutal kiss that was being laid on her lips, she heard someone at the door. She managed to get out of his embrace long enough to scream.

This let the person behind the door know that she was in trouble. He started pounding on the door and then she heard a shot being fired and the young man tumbled into the room.

Upon seeing Jubin, with Miriallia being held by force in his arms, Dearka swiftly crossed over to where they were and it was lights out for Jubin. Jubin fell to the floor, not even realizing what had hit him, for Dearka had done all this within about two seconds.

Miriallia let out a sob at what just happened and ran into Dearka's arms. "Oh thank you, Dearka."

Dearka raped his arms around her, holding her head underneath his chin. "_Oh how much I want to kiss you right now, Miriallia. But…no…If I do, than you will think even less of me than that jerk lying on the floor._" Dearka had to force himself not to kiss her. She looked so sweet and innocent right then. It seemed as if those two long years had never happened. She was still as innocently naïve as the day he had first laid eyes on her. He wouldn't have been surprised if that was the most physical contact that she had ever had with a man and he was glad for it.

"It's all right, Miriallia. I've got you now." Dearka cuddled her in his arms as she cried into his jacket, making it all wet.

"I'll….I'll be alright in a minute." Miriallia started to get a better hold on her sobs.

"That's alright. You just cry as much as you want to, ok." Dearka gently patted her back.

"_Oh I feel so comfortable in his arms; they are so warm and comforting. Miriallia no! You can not do this, you love Toll! You have to remain true to Toll."_ Miriallia forced her self from becoming close to the dark skinned Coordinator. She gently pushed herself out of his arms.

Even though it was gentle, Dearka still felt the tension that had formed inside of her. "_Miriallia, why can't you just let me hold you? Protect you? I love you soooo deeply. If only you knew. But, I know you feel this way towards someone else still. Toll._" Dearka's heart aced at the thought of him. The man she was in love with. The man that she had always loved. The man that she would always love. Oh, how he wished that he had been Toll, been able to hold her for just a brief moment and felt her love, even if he had died. Then, he would have felt that his life had truly been worth living. But no, Toll was the only one who had ever held a place in Miriallia's heart, and probably would be the only man to ever hold that position. Dearka was almost positive that he would never be able to have any sort of place in her heart.

Dearka forced himself to stop thinking about this and said, "Miriallia, I'm to take you to the bridge. Yzak says that you can live on one condition."

Miriallia chuckled slightly to herself. "Yeah, that's what he said too." She glanced down at the still unconscious Jubin. "But I preferred the death verses his alternative." She sniffed and Dearka led her out of there and towards the bridge.

"_That Jerk!_" Dearka thought one last time.

Upon reaching the bridge, Yzak greeted them both with a, not so friendly demeanor. "Hey" Yzak sat in his chair. "Miss Haww, ZAFT has decided that you will continue to live if you agree to one thing. And that is that you will never mention, hint at, or tell anyone that you know anything about the assassination attempt. You will remain silent towards this topic for your entire life. If you do not abide by this one rule, then ZAFT will immediately take action, if you get my drift." Yzak said all of this with his usual unemotional manner of talking. "Do you agree to these terms?"

Miriallia raised her brows. "Yes….I do believe that I will be able to do that."

"Good. Then you will return to ORB tomorrow in a ZAFT transport." Yzak considered something a moment and then added, "Oh, and me and Dearka will be accompanying you." Both Dearka and Miriallia raised their brows in a curious manner. "You see,RepresentativeAthacalled back just now and she thinks it would be beneficial for ORB and ZAFT to meet in treaty talks, after what just happened. And it just so happens, I have been chosen to be the representative for ZAFT and I am taking Dearka with me." Yzakthen dismissed them.

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**Hey! So, I finally left you all with out you feeling that I was going to kill off Miriallia. I also added some more Dea/Mir scenes so I hope you enjoyed that. I didn't really leave you hanging because I may not be able to undate for a while. But, I promise I will update. I will not leave you hanging there. **

**Please review!**

**See you next chappie!**


	8. Chapter 8: The Trip

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or it's characters, but I do own my plot and the character I make up.**

**Hey, I'm back! I have for you the 8th chapter! You no longer have to worry that I will kill off Miriallia.YAAY!Besides,I would never do that to Dearka! **

**Anyways, here is the 8th chapter! Enjoy!**

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"Ok, people, let's get on board, now" Yzak told Miriallia and Dearka, along with a few other ZAFT soldiers.

They were boarding a ZAFT transport that was on its way to ORB. A few hours earlier they had arrived at a Plant because Yzak had to check in with them first to arrange the trip.

Miriallia had been invited to stay at the Atha mansion. So to, was Yzak, who was invited for treaty talks between the two nations.

Although, the real reason Cagalli had invited Yzak to participate in the talks, because he actually wasn't that good of a humanitarian, was because she knew that he would have Dearka tag along. She knew, from their conversation earlier, that Dearka was hopelessly in love with Miriallia. So, she was going to do all that was in her power to bring the two together under less volatile circumstances.

After all, she didn't know Dearka that well, but she did know Miriallia and Miriallia needed to move on and find someone to love again. She had always seemed so unhappy whenever she came to visit her and her brother. Oh, she always smiled and made pleasant conversation, never letting show that she was sad. But, Cagalli knew better. Miriallia's heart was aching for Toll and the only way to help her move on would be for her to find someone else who could provide her with as much love as Toll did. And she believed that Dearka was the person who was capable of this. In fact, she believed that he was far more capable of supporting Miriallia because he was stronger and more dependant than what she had heard of Toll. Toll was nice and sweet, which had caused all those around him to love him, but, in time of war, he had died and had left Miriallia to herself.

Cagalli believed that Dearka would do anything in his power to prevent his own demise if he felt that it would hurt Miriallia. And he would

Miriallia stepped into the transport very daintily, Dearka watching her the whole time. He was admiring her shapely figure in the peach and burnt orange outfit that she had first worn on Heliopolis. He had this odd kind of smirk plastered on his dark, handsome face. Yzak shook his head, upon noticing his friend's unusual expression. He couldn't understand this feeling that his friend apparently had towards the sweet eyed brunette.

Dearka stepped into the transport right after Miriallia, followed by Yzak, who had a disapproving look on his face.

They had been assigned chairs on the transport and Miriallia was looking for the chair number that matched the number she had on her ticket as she passed through the aisles and aisles of chairs that were aligned in rows of two's. Dearka found his, number 34, and sat down in an aisle seat. Miriallia searched over the rows of chairs, still looking for her seat.

"Hey, Miriallia, What's your number? Maybe I can help you look." Dearka stood up in the cramped aisle, his head banging the ceiling because he was very tall. There was a person who was trying to pass through and he stepped on Dearka's foot. Dearka let out a little howl of pain, for the man, who had stepped on his foot, was a rater heavy set man who could barely get through the aisle when there were no people, let alone several. The man uttered a mumbled apology and kept walking, not even stopping to ask if he was alright. Dearka swiftly sat back down in his seat, figuring that he was safer.

Miriallia immediately came to his aid. "Oh, Dearka, are you alright?" She knelt down on the floor of the aisle, blocking the path of anyone who wanted by.

"Yeah, I think I'll be alright. But, man, that guy was heavy."

Miriallia glanced back at the rather rotundas man who was now sitting down in a seat, only it was actually more like two seats that he took up, and laughed. She pitied the person assigned to sit next to him.

"So, what is your seat number?" Dearka repeated his question.

"Oh, sorry. It's number 33." Do you know where that is?" Miriallia stood up again and started to look over the chairs and their numbers.

"Yeah, I do. It should be the one right next to mine." Dearka looked on the front of the chair for the number. "Eh, that's funny. There is no number on the front, but it should be number 33. Maybe it got worn off or something."

"Are you sure that it is the right one?" Miriallia was rather confused.

"Sure! I mean, look at the one opposite me. It has number 35 on it, so this should be 33. I guess that means you're sitting next to me," Dearka smiled up at her.

Miriallia blushed. "I guess so." She crawled over him and sat down in her seat. The seats were rather close together, so their arms were touching and this caused them both to heat up into a radish colored blush.

Miriallia started to look out the window and await their departure, when she was pulled away by someone shouting, at the top of his lungs. It was Yzak. She knew enough of his yelling to recognize it when she heard it. "I CAN'T SIT THERE! MOVE OVER, YOU POMPOUS PIG!" Yzak certainly did not know how to be cordial.

His shouting had attracted the attention of everyone on the transport. The driver went into the back and Miriallia and Dearka followed him with their eyes until they reached where Yzak was sitting. He wasn't exactly sitting down. In fact he was standing, right next to the heavy set man who was taking up both of the seats.

Miriallia giggled. "_Oh god, it sounds so good to hear her laugh."_ Dearka was distracted from his friend for a moment when he heard that most beloved noise gurgle up her throat.

Yzak had apparently gotten stuck sitting next the overweight man. And, he was apparently screaming his head off about the situation. "I WILL NOT SIT NEXT TO THIS MAN! I tried to sit down and couldn't because this man's ass was in the way!" Yzak explained to the driver.

The plump man was apparently ashamed because he looked away when Yzak said this. Miriallia couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor man, who was inconvenienced because of his weight.

"Look mister. I don't want any trouble on this here trip" The driver stated to Yzak and the other man with a slightly southern sounding accent. "We are all filled up, so you will have to sit down next to this here man." He motioned for Yzak to sit down.

"SIT DOWN WHERE! There is no place to sit down because this guy is taking up my seat along with his!" Yzak was fuming over his present situation. He hated traveling. It seemed like something always happened when he took a trip that embarrassed him. And this was certainly one of those trips.

"Calm down, mister. If we could just ask the man, nicely, to move over, I'm sure there will be enough room." with that the driver walked back up to the front of the transport, ignoring Yzak's mumbling and cursing under his breath. The plump man tried to scoot over as much as he could, but there was still only about six inches for Yzak to sit down on. He rolled his eyes and quietly sat down, half of his body hanging off the seat. He continued to mumble to himself for the entire duration, quite disconcerted.

Dearka and Miriallia sat back down in their seats, still giggling from Yzak's behavior. The transport took off with a jerk and they were on their way.

Dearka was just sitting there, not realizing that he was staring at Miriallia. Miriallia turned to look out the window; she could feel Dearka's eyes penetrating her body and this made her nervous. She fidgeted into a comfortable position and leaned her head onto the palms of her hands, looking blankly out the window. She watched as they took off from the ship they were in. She watched as the manmade blue sky of Plant, changed to the dark, natural, blue sky of space. "_We are moving pretty fast, so it shouldn't take that long till we reach ORB._" Miriallia thought, "_Oh, I wish he would stop staring at me. Why is he staring at me anyways?"_ Miriallia looked down to where he was looking, her legs. The peach dress she was wearing came down to her knees when she was standing, so, when she sat down, it came to about five inches above her knees. She tried to tug at her skirt, making a mental note to never wear a skirt around Dearka, but the skirt just was not long enough to cover her dainty knees.

This, however, snapped Dearka out of his daze and he quickly looked away, chiding himself for looking at her that way, and mentally hitting himself on the head for doing so.

So, Miriallia turned back to her window and continued looking out into the vastness of space, while Dearka stared into the vastness of the pathway. Yzak, meanwhile, was still grumbling to himself, making the plump man beside him turn beet red and start to get rather furious. Yzak definitely did not bring out the best in people. All three remained this way for the entire duration of the trip, not even twitching an eye unless it was absolutely necessary.

In order to save time, having to check the baggage and everything, they didn't exactly have time for it after, so just a few minutes before landing at ORB, Miriallia decided to use the bathroom, and powder her little nose, or whatever. She turned to Dearka and asked, "Dearka, you wouldn't happen to know if there is a restroom on board."

Dearka turned to look at her for the first time since they took off. "Yeah, I think it's in the back." He thumbed the air in the direction of the restroom.

Miriallia nodded, "Thanks", and stood up. She started making her way towards the little cubicle in the back, and came across Yzak. She stared at him in astonishment. He was asleep. He was also practically on the floor by this time, but never the less, he was asleep. She had never seen him look so….peaceful. It was really strange. His usual scowl had disappeared, making his face actually look peaceful and somewhat…happy, amazingly enough.

She shook her head and continued towards the bathroom. She walked in.

A few minutes later, she emerged. Her once tired sleepy face with bags under her eyes, now looked rejuvenated, probably from splashing water on her face in order to wake herself up. She had also put on a small dab of makeup. Feeling much better, she walked down the aisle confidently. Before she got to her row, though, a signal on the dashboard in front of all the seats lit up and a voice was heard over a speaker. "Attention. Attention. This is your second and finale warning. We are about to land, so please buckle your seat belts and remain seated.

_" I must have missed the first warning, oh well."_ Miriallia proceeded to walk to her seat nonchalantly, not realizing how close to the ground they were. She started to cross over Dearka, when the transport vessel touched down, jostling the entire crew and making Miriallia stumble and fall.

Fortunatly for her, however, Dearka grabbed her firmly around the waist, preventing her self from falling completely and, instead, making her fall into his lap. The ship bounced back up, Dearka keeping a firm, yet gentle, hold around her waist to keep her from flying al over the place since she didn't have her seat belt on. He was kind of acting as her seatbelt and she couldn't believe how comfortable she felt with his arms wrapped around her. The vessel made one last touch down, jostling the crew once more. Dearka made sure that Miriallia was safe in his arms, safe from being thrown all over the place, that is.

After the transport had completely landed, every one else was getting up and gathering there things together, except them, who seemed to be in some sort of trance in each others arms. It wasn't until Yzak passed by, seeing that they weren't moving and swaying, "Hey you two don't plan on staying here all day, do you?" while rolling his eyes, that they blushed, and Dearka released his hold around her waist.

They stood up and gathered their stuff. Upon exiting the transport, Miriallia caught glimpse of Cagalli and Athrun, her bodyguard. She ran towards them and the two girls embraced in a tighthug. "Oh my gosh, it's been a while, well, not actually, but it seems like it!" Miriallia stated towards Cagalli and Cagalli said something similar to Miriallia.

Athrun cleared his throat, signaling that it was time to go. The girls turned their gaze to him and Cagalli uttered, "Oh, hold your horses, Athrun. It's not like we're on a time limit," and then she turned back to Miriallia. "Oh, I have so much to tell you! A lot has happened since the last time we saw each other. But, I promised some people I wouldn't tell until you got to see them."

"Oh, really! Who?" Miriallia was all a flutter with excitement, while the two ZAFT pilots had lazily walked up to Athrun.

Dearka gave Athrun a gentle punch in the arm, "Hey, buddy, good to see you," he then gave him a hug.

Yzak, on the other hand, only gave a grunt, to signify him acknowledging Athrun's presence. They shook hands, but nothing else. Yzak had always had a chip on his shoulder towards Athrun and vice a versa.

Cagalli responded with excitement, "I promised that I wouldn't tell you that, either. They wanted it to be a surprise. You'll see when you get to my place." Cagalli paused and then remembered, "Oh, Commander Joule and Dearka Elsman, I believe," they shook hands and Yzak, as usual, said nothing. Miriallia wondered why she chose him to represent ZAFT's interests.

Then Cagalli changed the topic a little. "Every one, this is my secretary, Kimiko Yokamoda." She referred to a black haired natural with lavender-blue eyes. Dearka recognized her as the same beautiful woman that he had seen the other night when requesting to speak to Cagalli. He also noticed that his best friend, the confirmed bachelor who really didn't like woman because he thought they were all trouble, especially natural women, was eyeing this young women with a look of attraction on his face. Dearka laughed silently to himself and filed this information for further use later.

Athrun cleared his throat again, signaling that they **really** needed to go now. "Alright! Alright, Athrun. We can go now. I don't see why you are in such an all fired hurry, though." Cagalli lead them to a black, stretch, limousine. They all stepped into the limo, randomly, and the car drove off.

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**So, what did you think? I know it was kind of boring, but I hadto do it to get whereIwant to be in the next chapter.**

**As you can see, I'm introducing some of the other main characters.Kira and Lacus are also going to make an appearancein the next and following chapters. I'm going to be working with them as couples as well as Cagalli and Athrun, not just Miriallia and Dearka.And later on,Yzak and anothercharacter, hehe.**

**The next chapter will be entiltled"Exciting News!" Inthis one you will find out a little more about what has happened with some of the characters since the last time Miriallia saw them.****I should be able to post this chapter in about a week and a half. If not, I promise it won't be more than two weeks. **

**See you next chappie!**


	9. Chapter 9: Exciting News!

**Hey Everyone! I'm finally back with the ninth chapter. **

**Before you get started, though, i would just like to thank all those reviewers out there! Your review have now gone past the fifty mark and I am so thankful because this shows that my story has not totally bombed. LOL! WOW! I still can not believe it. Fifty, woah! Thanks you all. If it wasn't for you, I would probably have stopped this lame excuse for a plotline long ago. LOL! And thanks, Angel of Dreams, you have been such an encouragement to me. You are probably my number one fan anf I thank you for it, from the bottom of myheart. (tears start to well up in self's eyes)**

**Anayways!( wipes tears away and acts as if that scene did not just happen) Here is my ninth chapter!**

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They all stepped into the limo, randomly, and the car drove off... 

It seemed to Cagalli that they had been positioned by fate. She couldn't have positioned them better herself. She had landed next to her secretary, who was by the window behind the drivers seat. Next to her sat Athrun and across from him sat Miriallia. Dearka had just happened to end up next to her with Yzak beside him.

Kimiko shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she noticed Yzak's gave fall upon her. Several things were going through his mind at that precise moment. For some reason, this Natural girl, if she even was a Natural for he doubted that for a couple of reasons, had captured his interest. He just could not tear his eyes away from her. He knew that she had to be a Natural because he highly doubted that this Cagalli would higher anyone but a Natural. But she looked so much like a Coordinator. She had this air about her that was so confident, more so than what a Natural should feel. And her eyes…they were an unnatural shade of pale lavender that matched her sleeveless dress perfectly. Her dress fell right at her knee, but like Miriallia's dress, came up to about five inches above her knee when she sat down. Yzak caught himself looking at the place where the end of her dress rested, several times during there long journey towards Atha Mansion. And then there was her hair. There were purple streaks through her long black hair. The coloring fit her so well that he thought it just had to have been there since birth, meaning that she was a Coordinator. "_Why am I so interested in whether this pretty girl is a Coordinator. Wait a second! I couldn't possibly be ATTRACTED to this woman! Impossible!"_ Yzak turned his head and looked out the window.

Meanwhile, Dearka was in seventh heaven. He was sitting next to Miriallia and he didn't even do it on purpose. It must have been fate! Earlier, on the transport. He had purposely told her that the seat next to him was hers, when in reality it wasn't. He had stripped off the number so she didn't suspect him of lying. But this time, it was all fate. He was absolutely ecstatic over this. Ah, what simple pleasures bring the most joy!

He watched her as she was engrossed in getting caught up with Cagalli. He watched her as she smiled from something Cagalli had said, he didn't know what because he was to enthralled in Miriallia. It was so good to see her smile again. It was right then and there that he vowed to do everything in his power to keep her smiling, no matter what. He watched as she moved her lips up and down in response to something Cagalli had asked her. "_Oh, if only I could kiss her right now. I wonder what it would fell like."_ Dearka hit himself, again, mentally, on his forehead. "_No Dearka, you shouldn't think such things. She'd Miriallia, you pervert._" Then he got a very contemplative expression on his face. "_But then again, is it so bad to want to kiss the woman you are in love with?"_

Before Dearka could answer this question, Cagalli announced that they had arrived at the Atha Mansion. Miriallia looked out the window and uttered a "Wow!" as they pulled up and a man in a black tuxedo opened the car door. Yes, Miriallia had been there before, but it still held it's wondrous enchantment for her as the day she first laid eyes on it.

They all stepped out of the limo, one by one, and a sudden heat hit them in the face like a heavy blanket. "Oh man, it's hot out!" Cagalli said and started taking off her black jacket, revealing a red tank and black cargo pants. Miriallia wished that she could take something off, but the only thing she had on was her dress, and it wouldn't have been very appropriate to take that off with all those guys around.

Athrun, too, took off his jacket and Dearka tried to follow suit, but Yzak stopped him. "No, we are ZAFT soldier. So,we should look like it." Dearka rolled his eyes.Yzak wanted to take off his coat too, but knew that if he encountered a ZAFT official that both he and Dearka would be toast.

The only one who didn't seem too effected by the heat was Kimiko, who was already wearing just a tank dress. She had obviously been prepared for the heat. It was her job, after all, to keep up with things, including the weather.

Cagalliturned around just before entering the mansion. "Welcome, all, to my abode…." And then she led the way in.

Upon entering, Dearka stood in awe of the magnificence of the Atha mansion. "_Boy, Athrun's a lucky man. To be able to live like royalty, wow!"_

Once they were all in, they noticed that it wasn't any cooler inside, than out. In fact, it was hotter.

But, this was distracted from there minds when Miriallia saw a pair of familiar people come racing down the stairs.

"Oh! It is so good to see you again, Miriallia." the pink haired, former songtress, walked up to Miriallia and the two embraced in a loving, affectionate hug.

It's been a long time, hasn't it Mir? About six months?" The tall, dark haired companion of Lacus gave Miriallia a hug. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Kira. It has been a long time, too long." Miriallia smiled up at him.

"Hey buddy!" Dearka signaled for Kira to come over to them and he walked up to Dearka and Dearka wrapped his arms around him in a semi-hug, patting his back.

"Hi, Dearka", Kira returned his embrace. " It's good to see you again." Kira then stretched out his hand to Yzak. "You too, Yzak."

Yzak just grunted, with a grim look upon his face.

Kira pulled his hand back as though he had been burnt. Yes, he had killed some of Yzak's fellow soldiers during the war, but the war was over and he didn't think he deserved to be treated as though he was nonexistent.

Cagalli moved over to where Miriallia and Lacus were and the group gradually separated into two groups, one containing the boys, and the other containing the girls.

The girls started chit chatting, while the boys, of course, were involved in more serious conversation.

"So, Kira, what's it like to be a married man?" Dearka queried as he swished his head in the direction of Lacus.

Kira instantly started to blush. "Ah…ah…well, it's good."

Dearka raised his brows. "Come on, Kira, surely you have more of an opinion than that."

"Ah…well…" Kira started to say but then the girls started up into a roar of laughter and Kira couldn't help but fell saved by the laughter because Dearka immediately turned his attention to the girls.

"Eh… I wonder what they are laughing at" Dearka cocked his head to the side while examining the scene that the happy girls portrayed.

"Probably me," Athrun muttered.

Dearka lit up and turned to his old friend. "Oh, really? And what would they be able to find so funny about you, pray tell?"

Athrun rolled his eyes. "You'd be surprised what Cagalli finds funny".

Dearka would have continued questioning Athrun, but Cagalli interrupted. "Ok, it's almost diner time, so you three should get ready, you know, unpack and such. Jinkins, I want you to show them to their rooms."

A man in a black tux came over and grabbed Miriallia's bags, and started up the stair saying, "This way, if you please".

Dearka snickered at the idea of a man called Jinkins and even Yzak let a slight, mind you just a slight, smile from on his serious face.

As they started climbing the stairs, Cagalli fanned her self with her hand, "Boy, is it hot in here!"

Suddenly, Lacus's eyes got real big and she said., "Oh, Cagalli! I forgot to tell you! The cooling system went out while you were gone, picking up Yzak, Dearka, and Miriallia!"

"WHAT!" Cagalli shouted, making the three weary travelers stop on the stairs. "You mean, we don't have any air conditioning. I can't believe this, We have GUESTS and we don't have any AC! GREAT, just great!" Cagalli threw up her hands.

Athrun, calmly asked, "Lacus, did you call someone to fix it?"

Lacus looked thoughtful for about one second and then stated, "Yes, I do believe Kira called someone, but they said they were busy with putting in cooling systems because of the hot weather and couldn't be by till tomorrow."

Again, Cagallia started shouting, "Oh, MAGNIFICENT! Her I am, the leader of ORB and they are putting me on hold. I should be able to get precedence, but nooooo, being the leader of ORB gives you no advantages at all" Cagalli made a swift wipe out gesture in front of her. "In, fact I get more disadvantages than anything." Cagalli was now, officially, mad.

Athrun gently put a hand on her shoulder and the effect almost instantaneously clamed her down, right then and there, "Come one, Cagalli, I'll see what I can do" he lead her off into the door way of a side room off of the great hall they were in.

Jinkins started to lazily, for he was very old looking, walk up the stairs again, not very disturbed by this little incident, "_Man, this must happen a lot,"_ Dearka thought as he followed behind Miriallia. Just then, though, he heard Athrun, with his enhanced hearing, say something to Cagalli about not to worry, he was there for her, he would take care of things and then he saw Athrun tilt his head down and kiss Cagalli on the lips, gently. Cagalli then laid her head on Athrun's shoulder and then they were out of Dearka's sight. "_you know, they are perfect for each other. She is so hot headed and he is so calm that they even each other out. I wonder if Miriallia and me are like that…."_

But then Jinkins announced that the door in front of Dearka was his room. Dearka opened it as Jinkins was telling Miriallia which room was hers. The door Jinkins was pointing to as her room, was right next to Dearka's and Miriallia blushed. Cagalli had conveniently put them side by side. Jinkins left them then and lead Yzak off into some part of the west wing opposite of where they were. They were in the east wing.

Dearka smiled his dorky smile at Miriallia and she blushed even more and to avoid him seeing, she promptly opened her door and crossed through the threshold, closing the door behind her. Dearka sighed and did the same.

* * *

**ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER...

* * *

**

Dearka had made sure that he looked his best in his ceremony uniform, for Miriallia. Usually he would just throw it on for ZAFT meeting and such, not paying any mind to the little details like he did tonight. I mean, who do you want to look good for at a ZAFT meeting? But, tonight, he took his merry little time in getting ready. He wanted to look perfect for the diner that night. He didn't want to look dorky, like he usually did. I mean, don't get me wrong, he knew he was handsome and could make a any girl blush by just looking at them. But her did feel dorky looking most of the time and tonight he really didn't want to look that way. He made sure to straighten his jacket, making sure that it was in the perfect position to best show off his trim figure.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. It had gotten awfully unruly, these days. It needed to be cut, desperately. He wasn't like Yzak, who liked to keep his moderately long. He had tried that once and it just didn't work for him. It made his face all long and distorted looking. "_Maybe I'll get it cut tomorrow…"_ just then, he heard a knock on his door. "Come in!" he shouted loud enough for the person outside to hear.

Jinkins then walked in. "Excuse the interruption, sir, but lady Cagalli wished me to inform you that you will be late for diner if you do not hurry up."

"Yeah, I think that's something she would say." Dearka chuckled to himself under his breath.

"Excuse me sir?"

"Oh, nothing. Tell her I'll be right down." Dearka dismissed Jinkins he the didn't leave right away. "Yes?" Dearka asked, curious as to why the servant wasn't leaving.

"Lady Cagalli told me to escort you myself, sir."

Dearka chuckled out loud. "Alright, I get the hint" Dearka said as he finally left his room, under the watchful eye of Jinkins.

* * *

**DOWN STAIRS...

* * *

**

Miriallia was sitting in a chair in the drawing room, across the hall from the dining room. She, and every one else, was patiently awaiting the arrival of Dearka. All except Cagalli, that is.

Cagalli was pacing back and forth in the drawing room, the skirt of her green diner dress swaying back and forth. She hated dresses. And she had to wear one tonight because it was like a welcome back diner to Miriallia and a welcoming diner for Yzak, to show Orb's hospitality.. Athrun had made her wear it. Athrun knew that Cagalli loved him and thus, could get Cagalli to do anything he wanted her to do and she hated him for it. They had a "love-hate" relationship. And now, the only reason for her inviting Yzak in the first place, was not here. She fumed over and over to herself of why did she even invite them in the first place?

Everything was going wrong that day. First the cooling system broke and the house was by this time about a hundred degrees inside and no one would come to fix it till tomorrow. Then, she had to wearing this stinkingly tight dress, that showed all her curves and hugged her hips so it kept creeping up on her. It only went down to about six inches above her knees anyway, not to mention it creeping up on her when she walked. It had no straps, so she felt like there was nothing holding (cough, cough) her up. And, to top it all off, the dress was mint green, not a nice forest green or anything, but mint!

Miriallia was watching Cagalli go back forth back and forth and then finally she got fed up and picked up a magazine. She wasn't really looking at it, but figured it would at least keep others from thinking that she was also eagerly waiting for Dearka, which she was.

Kira, noticing something, leaned over and said to her, "You do know that your magazine is upside down, right?" Kira was smiling and Athrun, who had heard this interchange, smiled too.

"Wha…" Miriallia looked at her magazine for the first time and saw that it was, indeed, upside down. "Oh." Miriallia thrust the magazine down on the side table next to her.

Kira and Athrun started laughing and this caused everyone else in the room to look in their direction.

Yzak cocked his head. "What's so funny?"

But just as Athrun was going to say, Dearka came into the room with Jinkins trailing along behind.

"_Oh man, he looks good"_ Miriallia noticed how handsome he looked in his dress uniform. His trim figure was played off at all the right areas, revealing his muscular form. Miriallia blushed just at the sight of him.

Cagalli put her hands on her hips. "Well, now that we are all finally here, let's go in to diner." She huffed and Athrun took her arm. "Oh, Kira, you take Lacus in and Dearka, you take Miriallia in." Dearka smiled back a blush and Miriallia looked in the other direction as Dearka eagerly took her arm. "That leaves you, Yzak. Ah…" Cagalli really hadn't thought of who he should take in. She knew that she wanted Dearka to take Mir in, but, Yzak, she really didn't know. Then she spotted her secretary sitting in the corner and an idea popped into her evil mind. "Yzak! You can take Kimiko in."

Yzak looked back at the secretary in a panicky way. Kimiko smiled. For some strange reason she was actually glad that she had gotten stuck with him. She stood up and walked over to where Yzak was standing and placed her arm around his. At the feeling of her touch, Yzak heated up into a sweat, he tried to say something to be polite but nothing would come out. It was like her touch had paralyzed him. She smiled sweetly up at him and said, "Well, shall we?" she directed her gaze towards the others who were already way ahead of them.

The two caught up with the rest of the group and they went into the dining room. Upon entering, Cagalli again made an announcement. "There are place settings with your name on them, and you are to sit there, not some place else, or you will totally disrupt the system." She gave a mild glare at everyone to warn them. She couldn't let her idea of Dearka and Miriallia sitting next to each other get ruined.

They all sat down in their chairs and the meal was started.

* * *

**LATER...****

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**

After the second to last course's plates were taken away, dessert was served.

Cagalli tapped the edge of her wine glass, to get everyone's attention. The minute she did so, everyone looked towards her with a curious expression upon their faces. "Mir, remember how I told you at the airport that we had a lot to tell you, but that you had to wait till later." Miriallia nodded. "Well, I have an idea. Each of us will say what big has happened to them since the last time we all saw each other." Everyone just sat there, aghast and not sure what to do next. "Mir, you start."

Miriallia leaned back in her chair. "Well, not much that you don't already know. I was kidnapped because I witnessed something." Miriallia made sure to be very vague in her news.

Cagalli smiled in an understanding way. " Ok, Dearka what about you?"

"Not much, except the fact that I got demoted because I helped you guys I the war" he said in a joking manner.

"Ok, Well, our news is the same, so we will announce it together…." Everyone seemed to hold their breath in expectation of her announcement. "Athrun, do you want to tell them?" Athrun shook his head because he knew how much she wanted to be the one to tell them. Cagalli's eyes looked ecstatic. "Ok then! Everyone, ma and Athrun are going to get married soon!"

Miriallia stood up and went to Cagalli and hugged her while everyone offered their congratulations to the couple. Kira smiled at his buddy, "Congrats Athrun." And they shook hands. "I'm glad it was you. Having your best friend as a brother-in-law is great!"

Athrun smiled, very content with himself.

After the crowd settled down and Miriallia sat back down in her seat, Cagalli then turned to Kira

Knowing that it was his turn he started automatically. "Well, nothing much. As you all know, we are running an orphanage. And, we are planning a field trip with the kids next week, to an amusement park." Kira stopped there. Yzak yawned. It certainly wasn't as exciting as Cagalli's news.

"O..K…" Cagalli was rather disappointed in his news. "Lacus, it's you turn now." Cagalli was smiling because she knew what Lacus's news was.

Lacus stood up and bowed slightly. "Oh…Well… Everyone I would like to inform you that I am pregnant!" She said and clapped her hands like a little girl who had just been given candy.

Everyone, _everyone's_ mouths dropped open, except Cagalli, and they all just sat there in shock, except Kira, who upon hearing the news, started choking on what ever he had in his mouth at the time. Obviously he hadn't known about it. Athrun went over to his friend and started whacking him on the back, but it wasn't helping.

The girls all surrounded Kira and Lacus chattering about how exciting it must be to be having a baby, while Yzak stared at Lacus's belly, in horror that what ever was in there was going to reach out and pull him in.

Dearka looked on to the situation. He was staring at Miriallia and then to Lacus with a wide grin. "_I wonder what it would be like if Miriallia was pregnant, like Lacus, only with my baby," _he looked at Miriallia's belly and envisioned it being slightly pudgy like Lacus's was, and then imagined it getting larger and larger and his smile just continued to grow wider and wider. "_And I wonder how it would feel to be and expectant father, like Kira",_ Dearka looked over to the choking Kira, who was now turning purple and his smile instantly vanished.

Miriallia continued to fawn over Lacus and the baby, trying to feel if the baby was kicking, which it wasn't because it was far too early for that.

Yzak continued to stare at Lacus's belly like it was going to eat him. Kimiko, whose place setting was on his right, noticed this and gave him a shove with her elbow and smiled at him reassuringly when he finally managed to pull his eyes away from Lacus's belly. And, it seemed to help him, that sweet smile formed by lips coated with purple lip gloss.

Dearka couldn't help himself: he burst out laughing at the sight being displayed, girls fawning over Lacus and her baby, Kira choking and his friend desperately trying to help him, Yzak, being put at ease by a beautiful woman, who actually seemed to like him, amazingly enough, and all their situations all in the same room. It was just too much for him. He couldn't help it.

His laugh was so loud that everyone stopped what the were doing, including Kira who had apparently been startled enough by Dearka's laugh that he swallowed what ever it was he was choking on.

Yzak turned to his friend I utter bewilderment. "What's so funny, Dearka?"

Dearka shook his head, while still laughing, "Nothing, you wouldn't understand."

Yzak huffed and Cagalli decided to change the subject to prevent a fight between the two ZAFT soldiers. "Well, I think we should all go in the garden for a walk. Besides, it's probably a lot cooler out there than it is in here."

* * *

**OUT IN THE GARDEN...****

* * *

**

As the group moved out into the garden, Lacus and Kira separated from the group, probably to talk about them being parents soon, in private. Cagalli smiled at them making it easier for her to get Dearka and Miriallia alone together.

"Athrun, I want to talk to you about something, privately, concerning the date for the wedding" she tugged on Athrun's arm.

Athrun looked confused. "Wha… I thought we had already deci…"

"Come on Athrun", she mumbled under her breath while swaying her head in the direction of Miriallia and Dearka, who were walking along right behind them. Athrun looked confused for a few more moments but then, he realized what she meant and said, "Oh yeah," And they walked off away from the group, which was now half it's original size.

Miriallia, annoyed with the silence, decided to start up a conversation. "So… you were demoted, just because you helped us during the war, even though you were actually fighting against the Earth Alliance?" It may not have been the best subject to talk about, but it was the only one she could think of.

Dearka responded, "Yeah, it sounds pretty foolish, but it sounded reasonable when ZAFT was distorting it to their own meaning." He chuckled slightly to himself, "They wanted someone to blame and I just happened to be convenient."

Miriallia looked up into his deep lavender eyes for the first time without blushing, "Then why did you stay with them, ZAFT, I mean?"

Dearka shrugged, "I don't really know, I guess. It was what I had done most of my life and I didn't get any offers else where, so I just stayed."

"Oh." was all Miriallia could find to say and then they fell into a dead silence.

Behind them Kimiko and Yzak were walking silently and there pace had slowed, making them fall some what further behind Dearka and Miriallia than they were. Yzak was staring at the ground while they were walking, afraid to look at Kimiko, for fear he might not want to look away. These feelings he felt right now were so weird to him. He had only spent a day with her and he already felt like spending more time with her and he usually didn't like to spend more time with anyone.

Kimiko giggled.

Yzak suddenly shot his head up, "What? What's so funny?" He said in his usual paranoid demeanor.

She giggled again. "Oh nothing. It's just I don't see why you find looking at the ground so interesting." she covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled again.

Yzak blushed beet red. "Hey what do you mean by that!" he shouted at her.

Kimiko looked startled, like a little girl who just got her hand bit by the family dog.

Yzak noticed her startled reaction and sighed, "Look, I'm sorry, Ki…kimy..kiki…Oh Damn! I don't know how to pronounce your darn name!"

She laughed. "Oh, a lot of people can't pronounce it anyways. It's KI…MI…KO". she stated each syllable clearly and plainly, in hopes that he would be able to get it now.

Yzak tried to repeat it but his tongue just seemed to tie around the pronunciation. "KI..KI..MI…." he started over. "KI…..KI.."

She giggled once again. The sound annoyed him, but he couldn't help wanting to hear it again. "It's alright. You seem to be able to pronounce the Kiki, so I'll let you call me that. It was my mother's pet name for me, so I'll answer when you say it. It can be like a your pet name for me too," Kiki said cheerfully.

Yzak blushed and they continued their walk in silence.

After walking with out anything being said for several minutes, Dearka decided to try and start up a conversation again. "So, Miriallia, why did you become a war photographer?"

Miriallia turned to him. "You know, you can call me Mir, like everyone else does."

Dearka looked into her pale blue eyes. "No. I like Miriallia better. It's the name of an angel, it fits you better."

Miriallia blushed and turned away. They made their way to an arbor and he motioned for them to sit down. Miriallia yawned as she said, "Anyways, to answer your question," she changed the subject, "Well, I guess it had a lot to do with Tolle's death. I wanted people to remember what damage the war brought to the innocent lived involved."

Dearka slumped over at the mention of Tolle's name. "_So, he still had a big impact on her life, eh?"_

Miriallia noticed his change in demeanor and added, "I still remember Tolle, Dearka, and he will always be with me, but I've decided to move on."

Dearka let a small smile spread across his face and Miriallia yawned again and for several minutes they just sat there, enjoying the peaceful night air. After a while she yawned again and her eyelids started to droop. She was getting very sleepy. She started to slump over and fall forward but Dearka caught her. She was very tired and had fallen asleep on him.

Dearka decided that the best thing to do would be to take her to her bedroom so she could sleep on her own bed, verses out in the garden. He lifted her up in his arms like he would a feather, showing just how strong he was, and carried her out of the garden, through the great hall and up the stairs. Along the way, he received some very strange and disapproving looks from the servants, but he didn't care. Upon reaching her bedroom, he took her in and laid her down on her soft bed, do gently that she didn't even moan from being slightly jostled.

He was about to leave when he turned back to look at her. She looked so beautiful with the moonlight beaming down on her through the window like that. He couldn't help himself. He strode over to her side, leaned down, and kissed her, ever so gently, on her lips. It was at that moment that he made a declaration in his heart. "_Oh, Miriallia, I love you. Oh, what I wouldn't give for you to become my wife, but I doubt that will happen. You say you have decided to move on, but I know you still love Tolle. But still, I will do everything in my power to make you love me as much as I love you, my little angel." _he thought forlornly as he walked out and closed the door to her room.

* * *

**Well! I'm finally done! This took me the longest out of all of my chapters to write. It think it is the longest too. So, for all those out there that prefer really long chapters, you should be happy now. LOL!**

**Anyways, I hope ya'll enjoyed it. Please review! I should update again in about a week, possibly sooner, but I doubt it. **

**Oh man, my hands are tired. LOL!**

**Oh! And thanks again, my loyal reviewers, for helping me cross the Fifty review mark. I am grateful to you all!**

**Anyways, bye for now!**


	10. Chapter 10: Tour Guide Barbie

**Disclaimer: boy, it's been a while since I remembered to post it, lol!. Anyways, i do not own Gundam SEED, but I do own the plot and the charaters that I come up with.**

**Well, I am updating this chapter a little later thanI orginally told you, but I've been kinda busy lately so this is the first chance i got to write it, not to mention having to figure out whatI was going to write beforeI did so, LOL!**

**Oh, and I would like to thank all my reviewers again! You have helped me make it to the sixty review mark! That means that I got about ten reviews on the last chapter! (claps hands together like Lacus in the last chapter), LOL! Yes,I am so lame. I am keeping track of how many reviews I've gotton since the last chapter, lol! But, it's those reviews that keep me coming back to write more, so if you want to see more chapter, I suggest that you review, or else, LOL! Not really, I won't quite, but it does encourage me to update my chapters sooner. So, please review! Oh, and I do accept annoymous reviews.**

**Anyways, (that's got to be like my trademark saying because I seem to say it at least twice in every update, lol!) Here is the next chapter!**

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**

Miriallia's eyes fluttered open the next morning to rest upon a picture of Tolle that she had kept in her purse and had laid on the dresser the evening before. This made her feel all the more worse. She had had a weird dream last night and what made it even weirder was the fact that it was about Dearka. She dreamt that they were talking about something, nothing in particular, when she fell asleep on him. And then, it became all the more hazy. But, she did know that, in the dream, he had carried her up to her bedroom, laid her down in her bed, and had kissed her goodnight. She felt so happy and warm inside when he kissed her. For a brief second she wished that the dream had been real, but then, she remembered Tolle.

"_Wait a second! How did I get in this room, anyway_?" she thought as she looked around at her surroundings. She was in her room, on her bed _"I don't remember coming here last night. The last thing I remember was talking with Dearka in the garden. Wait! The dream couldn't have really happened, could it?"_ Miriallia shook her head. "_No. I was probably just so tired that I don't remember coming upstairs, that's all."_

"I should get dressed." she said out loud as she looked at the to see that it was already nine o'clock. She had slept in so late, at least compared to when she normally got up, which six o'clock.

She hurriedly grabbed her clothes and darted into the bathroom to take a shower.

"_I wonder what we are going to do today?"_ she asked herself as she stripped and got into the shower. She turned it on and the hot water poured down on her, relaxing her tense muscles.

The past week had been a night mere. She was so glad that she was at least with her friends, now, to help her to level her nerves. And Dearka was there too. He was such a comfort. "Wait!" she screamed out loud. She shut off the water and grabbed a towel. It was blue and matched her eyes. It was her favorite color. "_Why do I think Dearka is such a comfort?_" confused, she stepped out of the shower and started getting dressed. She put on a pair of jeans and a sky blue blouse.

No more short skirts for Dearka to ogle her in. And yet, she couldn't help liking Dearka's ogling. She thought it was cute, the way he blushed when she caught him doing it. And his lavender eyes would have that mischievous glow that made her wild. She didn't know why either. She though he was cute, handsome even. But surely she didn't have any other feelings for him. No. she was still in love with Tolle and still wasn't over him yet. She shook her head as she left her room.

Right before she started going down the stairs, she looked over her shoulders at Dearka's door. "_I wonder if he is still in bed", _a smile crept onto her pretty mouth, "_I wonder what he looks like in the morning. Is his hair all messy, or is it perfect like it is when he's awake? Does he still have that cocky smile, even when he is whipping sleepys from his beautiful lavender eyes? I wonder what it would be like to wake up with him in the morning."_ Miriallia shook her head violentlyas though trying to thrust the thought out of her mind. "Get a hold on yourself, Mir" she told herself as she headed down the stairs.

In the great hall, the only one she could see was Jinkins. So, she asked him where everyone was. He told her they were having breakfast and that Lady Cagalli told him to take her to them as soon as she awakened.

He led her to the dining room, opened the doors for her, and bowed to take his leave.

When she entered, she noticed that the whole "gang" was there. Cagalli was, of course, sitting next to Athrun, with Kimiko on the other side of her. Yzak was positioned next to Kimiko and he looked nervous, for some reason, and Dearka, who was smiling at Yzak and Kimiko with an all knowing smile, was sitting next to Yzak. Next to Athrun sat Kira, who still looked a little dazed from last nights activities and next to him sat the very cheerful Lacus.

Cagalli, upon noticing Miriallia's presence, signaled for her to take a seat next to Lacus **and**, of course, Dearka. So, she did so.

"So, did you sleep well?" Cagalli eyed her with a smile. She seemed awfully cheerful today.

Miriallia nodded her head. "Yes, I slept very well."

Cagalli's smile widened and was now from ear to ear. Athrun snickered because he knew what she was going to say. They had had a long talk last night about what Dearka did, taking her up to her bed, and what it meant. "So, I take it that your sleep wasn't disturbed by Dearka carrying you up to bed, then. You fell asleep on him in the garden and he didn't want to wake you , so he took you up to your room."

Miriallia looked at Cagalli with shock written all across her face. "_The dream, it could be true! It couldn't have happened! And yet, it seems that it did. Maybe I wasn't fully asleep when he carried me up. But that would mean……"_ She put a hand up to her lips.

Miriallia soon controlled herself and stated, with what she thought, was a clam demeanor, "Yes, I think I remember that. I must not have been entirely asleep yet." She was glad when a waiter came in to serve her breakfast because Cagalli was going to pursue the matter and she didn't feel like pursuing it.

When she said that, though, Dearka flushed bright red. "_Could she have been awake when I kissed her? I, god, I hope not. If she was, then what would she think of me. I would be no better than Jubin, trying to take advantage of her when she couldn't do anything about it._" Dearka felt miserable. He moaned inwardly and prayed that she had fallen asleep by then.

Miriallia started eating, keeping a close eye on Dearka through the corner of her eye. "_Did he kiss me last night, or was a really dreaming it?"_ Not sure, she decided that it would be best if she just tried to forget about it and not mention it.

So, she decided to change the subject entirely. "Cagalli, What are we doing today?" She asked casually, like the last subject they were talking about didn't affect her.

Cagalli got an evil smile, not the same mischievous one she had had when telling Miriallia about Dearka's carrying her, but one that she got when she knew she was going to derive pleasure from the response of at least one person sitting at that table. "I thought it would be good to take a tour of Heliopolis. You know, show commander Joule and Dearka around the city. I think they would have fun!"

With that last statement, Yzak, who was drinking a sip a orange juice, spit it out, showering everyone at the table. Kimiko was the first to laugh at Yzak. "We are on a political assignment, and you are taking us on a pleasure tour of your city!" Yzak was overwhelmed. He had come here to do business, not enjoy a ride around ORB.

"Yes. I thought you would have been pleased?" Cagalli then started to play her guilt trip. "I mean, you wouldn't want to try and make peace with a people that you hardly know, do you? This will allow you to get to know the real people of ORB, not those stuffy Chairmen and commissioners. They aren't ORB citizens. They might have been at one point in time, but now they are all stuffed shirts!"

Dearka couldn't help but laugh. "Apparently ZAFT and ORB aren't that different at all. You have stuffed shirts and we have stiff collars!" Dearka was laughing at his own joke, but no one else appeared to be doing so. Yzak looked at him disapprovingly and Mira finally broke a smile when she got it. Athrun tried to hold back the grin that was trying to make its way onto his face and Kira was just plain confused looking. He honestly didn't know what he meant. Lacus did however, and explained it through giggles. Kira finally understood that he meant stiff collars referring to those among ZAFT who thought they were better than Naturals, they were proud.

Cagalli sat up from her seat after gobbling down the last little bit of what used to be her toast and said, "Ok, Are you all ready to go?" She said excitedly. She knew she was going to have so much fun with them today and she couldn't wait to get started. If it wasn't for the terribly disagreeable Yzak, then it would probably have been the best day of her life! But he was there and she couldn't leave him out because he was supposed to be the whole reason for Dearka being there. So, she just decided to make the best of it. She decided to pawn him off onto her secretary. She felt sorry for her, but it had to be done so he would stay out of Dearka's and Miriallia's hair. Besides, Kimiko and him seemed to get along farley well.

Everyone stood up a proclaimed that they were ready, except Miriallia who had barely gotten started, but she consented to go anyway, knowing that Cagalli wanted to leave as early as possible.

So, they all managed to go out into the great hall, waiting for this person or that person to get what they needed, like Miriallia who decided to get her camera and take pictures of everyone on their trip. Cagalli told Jinkins that they were ready for the bus to come around and he left the great hall.

He returned a few moments later and said, "Ma'am, it is on its way around front. Is there anything else I can do for you, Lady Cagalli?"

"No, Jinkins", she said with a wave of her hand. Dearka couldn't help thinking that even though she was a tom boy, she still liked to order people around. "Ok everyone, let's go out side, now!" She was the first to walk through the large doors. The rest followed right after her.

They waited on the steps of Atha mansion for just a few moments before the bus pulled up. It was a rather small bus, probably able to seat about twenty people, but no more. It was blue and white and had ORB written on its side. The door opened and a skinny blonde, with her hair tied up into the neatest pony tail Miriallia had ever seen, and blue eyes stepped down from the bus. "Hello everyone. My name is Lana. I will be your tour guide today." She motioned for them to enter the bus as she said this. She had a smile that was just so sickening.

Miriallia was standing right next to Dearka and whispered in his ear, "It looks like we have a case of "Tour Guide Barbie". She said, barely able to hold back an out right laugh.

Dearka looked confused. "Huh? What is a Barbie?"

Miriallia gasped as they were stepping onto the bus. They were having a discussion so they automatically sat down next to each other in the second row of the bus. "You don't know what a Barbie is? How could you not know!" Miriallia was really very surprised.

Dearka still looked very confused. "No. I don't know what a Barbie is". He looked at her as shocked now seemed to become a permanent part of her expression.

"OH….MY… GOODNESS! I can't believe you've never heard about Barbie!" Miriallia shook her head in disbelief. Miriallia suddenly sat bolt upright, turned in her seat to look behind her, and ask Lacus, who was sitting next to Kira about two rows behind them, "Lacus, don't they have Barbies in the Plants?"

Lacus nodded, "Oh yes, I just love Barbie. I once did a promotion for her. I sang a song for one of their TV commercials." It was hard to believe that this child like songstress could head her own faction, but she did and she did it well.

Miriallia turned back to Dearka. "See! I don't know how you could not know what a Barbie is if they do have them in the Plants." Miriallia was still in wonderment over the situation.

"Well, I don't know, so that's that." Dearka was trying to switch the subject about how little he seemed to know when he remembered something. "Hey, you never did tell me what a Barbie was." He said with true curiosity.

Miriallia laughed. It was such a sweet laugh and Dearka was glad that he was the one who caused it, even if she was laughing at him. It was better then her crying because of him. "Alright, it's a doll, but it looks somewhat realistic and it's like a doll that looks like a woman, verses a little girl, which most dolls are."

Dearka was silent for a few seconds and then he managed to say, "Oh. That's it? Just a doll?"

Miriallia nodded and leaned back in her chair, looking out the window of the bus. "Yep, but I still can't believe you didn't know what a Barbie was."

Yzak decided to say something. "Well I didn't know either, so I don't know why you seem so surprised!" Yzak said trying to be cocky. It didn't work.

Kimiko giggled that same annoying giggle again and he cursed himself for his wanting to hear her do it again. "Well, I can't believe you don't know either." She giggled again and he seemed pleased that she had done it again, even though it still annoyed him. She flashed her pretty lavender eyes at him gain and he almost lost control. Those eyes were so pretty and he didn't know why he found them that pretty. "_Oh, what is wrong with me?"_

Just then "Tour Guide Barbie", AKA, Lana, spoke up as they drove off from the curved drive around the front of Atha mansion. "Alright everyone!" she said cheerfully. "Our first stop is ORB Memorial Park!"

Yzak rolled his eyes and sighed. "Great, just great."

Kimiko gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, yes, somehow they had ended up sitting together and Yzak was still trying to figure that out too, "don't worry Yzak. It's actually a rather fun place. They have lots of fountains and beautiful sights. You'll like it"

Yzak rolled his eyes again and just said begrudgingly, "Yeah, sure."

* * *

**FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER...

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**

Lana opened the door and announced, "Ok, we're here!" she sounded just so darn cheerful that it really grated on Yzak's nerves. Kimiko's giggling was one thing, he was starting to think he could tolerate it, but Lana's cheerful demeanor and her smile for no reason what so ever really got on his nerves.

Cagalli and Athrun were the first to exit the bus and start looking around. Dearka helped Miriallia down from the bus and Yzak got off with out even asking if Kimiko wanted hi to help her. But, she didn't seem to mind.

She was wearing a dainty lavender dress, again, that rested at her knees, only this one looked less business like and more casual, if such a thing is possible for a dress. Dearka smiled his mischievous smile as he noticed Yzak's eyes travel to her hem line as she got down from the bus.

Miriallia looked around and seemed rejuvenated by the fresh air. She walked over to the fountain, looking all around her while taking in as much of her beautiful surroundings as she could.

She signaled for Dearka to come over to where she was at the fountain. He did so. She positioned him near the fountain and snapped a few shots of him. Then she called Cagalli to come over, along with everyone else. She spent several minutes moving them around and taking several pictures, all of which Dearka was smiling madly and Yzak was grimacing like crazy.

After she was done, Miriallia started to gather her stuff back up and look around again. Kimiko approached her with a broad smile. "Hey Mir, I can call you Mir, right?" Miriallia nodded. "Ok then, I was wondering if you could possibly make some copies for me of Yzak?"

Miriallia laughed. "Yeah, I guess I can do that, but I don't think that he takes pictures well!" Miriallia said thinking about the absolutely disgusting look he had on his face in the last picture she took.

"Oh, that's ok. I'd just like to have some".

"Alright then." Miriallia smiled to herself. It was amazing that anyone liked Yzak. But, hey, everyone's got a match out there somewhere, right? The only problem was, is that her match had died early in life, or did he? Her mind felt so boggled right now. Emotions she never expected to feel again, were resurfacing.

Kimiko smiled warmly, "Good!"

Suddenly, Miriallia heard Yzak's voice, only if she hadn't of known his voice so well, she would never have known that it was his. "HEY! KIKI! Can you come over here a second!" He shouted at her and the smile she had got wider when he called her by her nickname.

"_Kiki_?" Miriallia looked at Yzak with a confused look and noticed that everyone else was doing the same.

Dearka started to crack up, then and there. The laughter was consuming him and Yzak looked at him as though he had turned green. "What!" Yzak shouted. "What's wrong with you!"

Dearka stopped laughing, straightened his dusty jean jacket, and looked back at Yzak's highly confused face. "_He is just so clueless"_ Dearka looked at Yzak, then at the silly smile that was played across Kimiko's, AKA, Kiki's, face. He started laughing all over again and Yzak rolled his eyes, deciding that his friend had now officially gone insane.

Cagalli was also rather amused, but decided that it would be best not to pursue the subject and tease Yzak because he wasn't the sort that would take it very well. For once, she had refrained from the impulse to start a fight instead of ending one and she was quite proud of herself. "Alright", she changed the topic, "We should get going now if we are to stay on schedule!" She lead the way into the bus and everyone boarded once again being greeted by "Tour Guide Barbie".

"Ok, the next stop is lunch. We are going to a peaceful little café on the Riviera. Ok Everyone?" she didn't wait for a response but kept on going with that all too fake smile plastered across her face. "Good!" The bus pulled off and they headed toward their next destination.

* * *

**AFTER LUNCH...

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**

After lunch they all gathered around the bus, trying to decide where to go, Cagalli was leaning on Athrun's arm as she asked. "So, Mir, where do you think we aught to go next?"

Miriallia shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know. I think the next place we go should be interactive, not like a park, but maybe like a museum, or something.

Cagalli scrunched up her nose, "A museum, eh? I guess we could go to a museum…" She contemplated it for several seconds when suddenly she caught sight of something and she perked up. "Athrun, look!"

Athrun looked totally dazed when she told him to look. He had no idea where to look. "Wha…where, Cagalli?"

"Over there!" she pointed to a jewelry shop. "We could go look at an engagement ring!"

Athrun sighed. "Alright, I guess right now is as good as any. You guys don't mind, do you?"

The girls and Dearka all said, "Of course not!" And when Yzak tried to protest, Dearka pinched him right as he was opening his mouth.

"OW, What was that for?" Yzak shoved his friend away.

But by this time they had already walked most of the way to the jewelry shop and Dearka didn't think he needed to respond because he knew that Yzak knew. (LOL)

The shop was quite quaint and was rather small, but seemed to have everything you could ever want in the way of jewelry. And their jewelry was very unique, not like the stuff you find in Kay's or some other jewelry chain, but unique, truly unique.

Cagalli wandered all over the store, the girls trailing behind, while the boys leaned up against the wall, waiting for them to make their decision so they could leave. An older man came up to them asking, "So which one is the lucky man?" They didn't know quite what he meant so he rephrased it. "Which one is getting , married?"

Athrun straightened up. "Wha?…how did you know that I was getting married?"

The older man smiled. "Well….when you've been in the jewelry business as long as I have, you learn that there are only two reasons men come into these kind of places. ONE. To buy a ring for your fiancé. And TWO. To buy a ring for your wife on their anniversary. You seem kind of young to be buying one for your anniversary, so I decided that it was for your fiancé. Oh, and there is a third reason, and that is if you've done something wrong, but usually when that happens, you don't bring the girl with you." He winked at them and walked off to help the girls fluttering around the room.

"Well, miss, what can I help you with", The older man had on the most attractive smile the girls had ever seen and they all thought that if he was younger, they would all be chasing after him.

Cagalli's eyes fell upon a ring at the exact moment he asked this. It was silver with a ruby in the center. It had leaves swirling around it in the most graceful manner.( NOTE: I got the ring concept from GSD)It was the most beautiful ring she had ever laid eyes on. "I want that one!" she stated with finality.

The man behind the counter opened up the display case and pulled it out. Cagalli practically snatched it from him and out it on her dainty fingers. It looked perfect! "This is the one!" she squelled.

The older man signaled for Athrun to come over to him so he could buy the ring. Athrun left his little group and did so.

Miriallia wandered off to look at other rings, for one that she might one day want to wear on her wedding finger. Dearka followed her around the room with his eyes. She stopped to look at a specific ring for several moments and his curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to know which ring she was looking at, for future reference. He walked off and left Yzak alone to deal with Kiki who was now approaching him by smoothly acting as though she was looking at some rings.

Kimiko stopped a little ways away from Yzak staring at some rings that were quite pretty, when she noticed his gaze upon her. "You're doing it again" She sounded annoyed, but she was actually quite pleased. She had worn that dress for a reason that had White/silver hair and the cutest, at least it was to her, faint sign of a scar across his nose. You could hardly see it unless you were looking for it. And she had been looking for it. That day in the limo she had found it, but only because Cagalli had told her that the last time she saw him he had the most ugly scar all across his face. But she didn't think it was ugly, she thought it was cute!

Yzak had been staring at her hair and this made him look into her unnaturally colored eyes. "Wha?…I'm not doing anything." he tried to sound innocent.

She gave him a slight eye roll. "Yes you were. You were staring at me. And I know why too…." She ended her statement there because she wanted him to ask her what she knew.

Yzak came closer to her and stared her down. "Oh. Really? And why would that be?" he tried to sound disinterest but he really did want to know if she knew.

She smiled. "You were wondering whether I'm a Coordinator or a Natural."

Yzak took a step back and almost tripped. "How? How did you know that?" He demanded.

She flipped her hair. "Because. Everybody thinks I'm a Coordinator when they first meet me because of my hair. It may be black, which is a common enough color. But it also has purple streaks that are consistent with a Coordinator. And my eyes. You were looking into my eyes." She closed the space between them making her eyes just mere inches away from his.

Yzak gulped. She had known everything he had been thinking and now she was way too close for comfort. "Ah…ah…then well? Are you?"

She laughed and backed away from him. Yzak breathed in and out, almost as though by force. "No. I am not a Coordinator. I am as Natural as that bird out there," she pointed to a pretty songbird sitting in the window, "Though I don't see why it should make any difference. We are both human, aren't we?"

"Ah…yeah. Then how did you get you're hair and eyes like that?"

"Well…It may be unusual for a Natural to have purple eyes, but it's not unheard of. And my hair…well I got that the old fashioned way." Yzak still looked confused so she continued, "I died it. I like the color purple and my eyes just happened to be purple, so I decided to make my hair purple, only, I didn't think it would look right if I died it all, so I did streaks."

"Oh." Was all Yzak could come up with to say. He had become attracted to a Natural and he didn't like it. Although, he didn't know why it should bother him because like she said, They were both humans, right?"

Meanwhile, Dearka walked up to Miriallia. She was hovering over a sapphire ring that he thought would look lovely on her. "Do you like that?" he asked as he hovered over it with her.

Miriallia looked up into his eyes. "Yes. I do. When I get married, I want a Sapphire for my wedding ring. Not some plain old diamond, but a pretty color, like a blue sapphire."

Dearka smiled. She hadn't said "if" she gets married, she had said "when". He decided that whether it ended up being her wedding ring or not, she was going to have that ring.

Cagalli and Athrun finished up their purchase and Cagalli called the group together. "Hey everyone. I'm done! We should get going now."

Miriallia walked away toward Cagalli while Dearka just kept standing there, "Just a second!" he yelled back at them. Miriallia joined the rest of the group and boarded the bus. A few minutes later, Dearka came on. Cagalli had a twinkle in her eye because she thought she knew what he had been doing.

"Sorry I took so long. I was just talking to the old man in there." he said as he sat down in the seat next to Miriallia automatically.

"That's ok." Cagalli said as she sat down next to Athrun and the bus started up again.

Miriallia sat back I her chair and started thinking about that afternoon. She wanted to go and get the film developed that evening. But if they went anywhere else, then she wouldn't have time. "Hey Cagalli. Can I go back to your house and get the film developed. I won't have time if we go anywhere else and I really want to get it developed?"

Cagalli shrugged. "Sure. We'll drop you off on the way to the next place".

Miriallia sighed a sigh of relief. She wanted to see how the pictures of Dearka turned out and she didn't care if she went with the group because ORB was her home town and she had seen all the sights before.

They drove on for a few more minutes when Dearka spotted a barber shop and remembered that he wanted to get his hair cut. "Hey can we turn around?"

Cagalli looked at him. "What do you need to do that for?"

"Well I saw a Barber shop back there and I kind of need to get my hair cut. It's kind of…ah…scraggly." he held up lock of his blonde hair to show as proof.

Cagalli sighed. "I guess." She had actually been hoping that she could come up with some reason for him to go home with Miriallia, but she guessed it was too late now.

Only it wasn't and she didn't even have to do the work. Miriallia did it for her. "hey, ya know, I took some classes on hair styling. I could probably do it for you and it wouldn't cost you a thing."

"Ah…ah I don't know" Dearka mumbled.

"It's settled then. We can go back to the mansion and I can cut your hair while my film is developing, how's that?"

"I guess." Dearka wasn't sure about this. He had never had his hair cut by a woman before, but for Miriallia, he'd do anything.

She smiled and settled back in her seat until they arrived at Atha Mansion. When they did so, they dropped the two of them off and Miriallia went upstairs to go process her film in the bathroom. She came back down a few minutes later with all the hair supplies she needed. He sighed. He'd just have to get this done and over with. She set up a seat for him right in the great hall, much against Jinkins wishes and she started her work.

* * *

**Well, what did you think? Please review and thanks again to all my faithful reviewers. I wouldn't have made it this far without you! the next chapter will be called "Roler Skating".**


	11. Chapter 11: Roller Skating!

**Dislcaimer: I don not own Gundam SEED, but I do own my plot and any characters I come up with.**

**Hey Everyone! I'm back! And I brought with me the eleventh chapter, lol!**

**I would like to thank all my loyal reviewers, once again. I got Ten reviews for the last chapter very quickly. You have been very supportive and encourageing. Thank you all!**

**Now, here is chapter eleven, like I promised...**

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"Well, I guess it doesn't look too bad." Dearka told himself as he looked at his reflection in a mirror that was above a small table with flowers set on it. He was quizzically looking at himself, examining every angle of his head, in the great hall, where Miriallia had decided to perform the "dirty dead" of cutting his hair.

Miriallia, who was flicking some hairs off of her jeans, noticed this and walked up to him. "What, you don't trust my work?" She smiled evilly as she said this, plucking a few short pieces of recently cut hair from Dearka's jacket.

Dearka turned around, for once taking his eyes off of his reflection, and blushed when she said this. He couldn't believe that he didn't even trust the woman he loved to cut his hair. But then again, he had always been finicky about his hair. He always drove barbers nuts with his precise instructions on how to cut it, even though he didn't know the first thing about cutting hair. "Well, no. That's not it. I just wanted to look it over, that's all." He turned back to look in the mirror. It was a little shorter than he had always had it cut before, but it didn't look bad on him. He kind of liked it.

Miriallia eyed him skeptically. 'Uh, huh. Well, if you don't like it just tell me and I'll try to paste some of your hair back on in areas", She had an ironic look on her face.

Dearka squinted his eyes at her. He knew that now that it was done, their was nothing he could d about it. "Ha, ha, Miriallia".

Then she looked thoughtful, her hand brought up to her chin. "You know, as much genetic engineering they do on Coordinators, you'd think they could make it so they could grow their hair just by thinking about it." She smiled at Dearka.

He scowled. "Yeah, well. They can't do that."

She smiled even more. She had had a purpose in her last comment and now she was going to fulfill it. "Huh. It makes you realize that Naturals and Coordinators aren't that different, after all." She pranced by him and started to go up the stairs. "I think I should go check on my pictures now. Would you like to come?"

Dearka shrugged his shoulders. "I guess." He started up the stairs with Miriallia, thinking about what she had just said. "_For all of the genetic engineering Coordinators had, they still weren't that different. I mean, yeah, they don't get sick from cold and disease. But they do get hurt just like Naturals. They may be stronger, but in some ways they are weaker just because they haven't had to deal with some of the plagues that Naturals have. One of these days, all that genetic engineering that they had done on Coordinators would eventually come back and bite them in the butt, so to speak."_ Dearka's mind rambled with these thoughts until they reached Mirallia's room.

"Ok, now." they stepped into her room.

Dearka noticed how neat and tidy it was compared to his. She was definitely a very neat person, in more ways than one.

"Alright, we have to turn out the light before we enter so we don't disturb the developing process." She had a serious expression on her face and Dearka couldn't help thinking about that time back on the Archangel when he had asked if she going to stay and fight with the other Naturals when he had just been released at ORB. She had told him that of course she was going to fight. It was her job and ORB was her home, so she was going to protect it as best she could. She had been so serious when she said that. And now, she was very serious about this, her photography. It wasn't just a passing by job, but it was her career. She was a photographer and that was all there was to it.

Miriallia went over to the light switch, after closing the door to her room, and turned it off. Darkness spread across the room, scattering shadows here and there. She went over to the windows, bringing the shades all the way down and blocking out any light that was left in the room. "Ok, we're all set to go into the darkroom". She walked over to a door and opened it. They both walked in and Dearka realized that the "darkroom" was actually a bathroom that had apparently been converted into a temporary darkroom.

Miriallia closed the door behind them and started fiddling with some prints. She seemed to see just as well in the dark with Natural eyes, as he did with Coordinator eyes, maybe even more so.

She picked up a few prints, looked at them with squinted eyes in the dark and said, "Ok, they're done, so we can turn on the light now, if you want."

Dearka flipped the switch and the bathroom became illuminated with florescent light. He looked over her shoulder at some of her pictures. "Wow! You are really good!" He said as she flipped through them to see how they turned out.

"Really? Thanks. I am still an amateur, though." She saw the few pictures that she had been dying to see and found that they had turned out very well. She hid them in her hand and held them to her side, so Dearka wouldn't see.

"No. They are very good. I would've never been able to tell that you had only been doing this for a couple of years." Dearka saw her hand movement and wondered which pictures she was hiding from him. "_Maybe they are the ones of me."_ He thought hopefully.

"Well, we should get back down stairs and see if Cagalli and them are back yet." She said as she noticed him eyeing her hand.

They opened the door and as they went to her bedroom door, Miriallia passed her bad and flung the prints onto it. She tunred out the light and they both went down the hall towards the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, Miriallia noticed that their friends had returned. Athrun was standing in the great hall, with Kira standing next to him, the two engaged in pleasant conversation. Yzak was also with them, only he was standing a few feet away and was not talking to them, being his usual "pleasant" self. For most people it was more pleasant to be around him when he was quite than when he was opening his large mouth to actually say something because after he did so, it always seemed to turn into a fight then a conversation.

Dearka and Miriallia walked down the steps and up to the guys standing casually in the hallway. "Hey," Miriallia said, "Where's Cagalli and the others?"

Athrun flicked his thumb in the direction of the garden. "They're out there. Cagalli wanted to look at her ring in the sunlight amongst the flowers", he laughed.

"Oh." Miriallia turned to walk towards the garden patio, but Cagalli all of a sudden entered the great hall, very cheerfully.

"Oh! Mir! We were looking for you, sort of." Cagalli walked up energetically to Miriallia. "Guess what!

Miriallia smiled. Cagalli was very excited about her and Athrun finally getting married. "What!" Miriallia tried to sound as excited as Cagalli was, but it didn't really work.

But, Cagalli didn't seem to mind. "We are going to go roller skating to celebrate Athrun and me getting engaged!"

Miriallia looked at he, not quite sure she heard right. "Roller skating? But don't you usually go out to a nice diner or something when you have an engagement party?"

Athrun laughed. "Yep. That's what most people do. But not my Cagalli. She always has to do things differently. She likes to be unique, even for a princess."

Cagalli stuck out her lower lip as though she was pouting, only Miriallia knew she wasn't pouting because she had one of the largest smiles that Miriallia had ever seen, strewed across her face. "Oh Athrun," she said funning, "You know I just hate fancy parties. Besides, the ORB counsel will probably want me to throw a party, or something, all formal like. So, I decided that just us good friends would go out and do something fun!" Cagalli was very excited. "I just love roller skating! And we can all go, even you, Yzak, and Dearka."

Yzak looked up from staring at the ground just then and stared at her in horror. "What! But I don't know how to roller skate!"

Kimiko walked up to him and placed her hand in his. " Don't worry, Yzak. I'll teach you". she smiled sweetly up at him.

"_Oh GOD help me!"_ Yzak thought, rolling his eyes back into his head. Bu the never made Kimiko remove her hand from his.

Dearka noticed this and smiled his mischievous smile that he had become so well known for.

"Well," Cagalli spoke up, "We should get going if we are to get there on time. They open skate starts at four and it's already fifteen minute till then." Cagalli started heading out of the great hall and was standing in the doorway.

Athrun spoke up. "Honey," Dearka snickered at Cagalli, the terror of terrors, being called honey. "Wouldn't you want to call ahead to reserve the entire rink?"

Cagalli looked shocked. "Of course not! The whole fun of going to these places are so that we can dodge the oncoming traffic!" Cagalli made a swooping motion as though she really was dodging things.

Athrun sighed and they all followed her outside. "Very well, Cagalli." He said as he loaded her up into his car. Kira and Lacus got into the same car with them and Dearka and Yzak go into a car Yzak had rented so he could go around town without having to ride everywhere with Cagalli. Apparently he had rented on their way home from the tour. Kimiko and Miriallia go into the back seat and Dearka, who was in the driver's seat, pulled off, following Athrun's car.

* * *

**AT THE ROLLOER RINK...

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**

Dearka sat down to tie his roller skates. He cringed as he sat down on something squishy. He knew what it was before he even looked. Gum. Yep, he had sat down on some gum that was very inconveniently placed on top of the bench, not under it, but on top!

His evening was not turning out well. First of all, he didn't know how to skate, which meant that he was most likely going to make a fool of himself in front of everyone and, most importantly, Miriallia. Then, to top it all off, He now sat down on some gum. He could tell his evening was not going to do so well.

He stood up, the pink bubble gum stretching from the seat of his pants to the bench. Cagalli was the first to notice and she laughed so loud that everyone looked up to see why she was laughing. "_great! Just great!" _Dearka though as he tugged at the gum, trying to get it to release from either his butt or the bench. It decided to do neither. It was old and tough so it didn't break easily, but was still fresh enough that it had all it's gooeyness and stuck to everything that touched it, including his fingers.

Miriallia saw his struggle and decided it was time to intervene. She got up from tying her own skates and skated over to him. "I see you have a little problem there, Dearka." She said as she giggled between words. It was actually very funny to see this dark skinned, handsome Coordinator having trouble getting away from some gum.

Dearka looked at her with a face that just said, "don't even say it" and "leave me alone". But, she didn't leave him alone. Well, she did leave for a few moments and Dearka was worried that he had insulted her. But, she came trotting right back with an ice cube in her hand.

"This should work," she said as she knelt down and applied the ice to the gum part that was sticking to the bench. It immediately froze up and became very hard, loosing it's stickyness ans making it easier for her to peel it off of the bench. She then handed the ice to Dearka and he looked at her in confusion. "For you," she said signaling towards the bathroom so he could take care of the gum that was on his butt where people couldn't watch.

"Oh." he said and grabbed the ice and stalked off into the bathroom. "_Why did it have to be her that chose to help me. I feel so embarrassed. But then again……She did help me, so maybe that accounts for something."_ he thought hopefully as he removed the gum in the same manner Miriallia did.

When he was done, he went out to join the rest of the group, only the only there was Miriallia. The others had already gone out onto the skating floor, including Yzak, who was only getting along without falling because somehow she had convinced him to let her help him.

He walked up to Miriallia and said, "Ah, so….Well…look Miriallia, I don't know how to skate." He said, very much ashamed of himself.

"I know. I'll help you. We can start on the little rink", she moved him towards a smaller rink that was in an adjoining room to the larger one, which was where his friends were.

"You know?" He said surprised but didn't prevent her from directing them to the smaller rink, which was empty. He figure that if he was going to learn to skate, he should do it on a rink that was empty and didn't have people running over you all over the place.

Miriallia looked up into his deep lavender eyes. "Yes. I figured that if Yzak didn't know, then neither did you. It's not surprising considering that you two spent most of your youth fighting a war and probably didn't have time for this sort of thing."

Suddenly, he didn't feel so ashamed that he didn't know a lot of everyday things, like Barbies or roller skating. The way she said it, it sounded completely normal not to know those things. He always felt so good when he was around Miriallia and, just then with the two of them looking into each others eyes, it took all he had not to kiss her. "_It isn't the right time, yet._" he told himself as his excuse.

She brought him out onto the rink, guiding him with her skating backwards and him holding onto her hands, skating forwards. She started to sway her hips back and forth, making them move, and Dearka suddenly got very nervous. He started to lose his balance a couple of times. But with Miriallia's help, he was able to keep from falling.

They skated on, Dearka more confidently than he had before, and Miriallia with an ease that, to Dearka, made her look graceful. Finally, he felt he was doing well enough for her to switch from skating in front of, holding both his hands, to skating beside him, just holding his left hand.

He was starting to feel like he was ready to go out and face the larger rink with the people, when, as luck would have it, he skated over the only piece of gum on the rink. He stumbled a bit, not realizing why he was having a hard time, but Miriallia helped steady him. They started to move around the rink, even swifter than before, and his started to stumble again. He swung his arms back and forth, trying to regain his balance, but it just wasn't working. Miriallia grabbed hold of him and tried to steady him herself, but that just made things worse. He was tripping over his own skates and he couldn't help it.

He started to fall and Miriallia grabbed onto him even tighter, trying to prevent it. But she couldn't. Instead, she was brought tumbling down with him, falling underneath of him.

She would've been hurt had he not thought quickly and slipped his right arm around her, so he could hold her up from hitting the ground as hard. She landed with his arm underneath her and him on top of her, supporting himself with his other arm to keep from crushing her.

So, they lay there with him on top of her, gazing down into her sky blue eyes, drowning in them, and her looking up into his with a dreamy look on her face.

"_I can't help my self,"_ he thought. "_ besides, this is just as good a time as any."_ He started to lean his head down for the kiss. "Miriallia, I… L…"

But just then a little kid of about the age of four, miraculously appeared on the outer rim of the rink. "MOMMY!" he yelled, making Dearka and Miriallia look at him, " There's two teenagers here making out!"

With this revelation, the two immediately pushed away from each other and both their faces heated up into a heated blush.

A woman, of about thirty, appeared shortly after, with a look of disapproval on her severe features.

Dearka and Miriallia promptly stood up and got ff of the rink floor as fast as they could go in their roller skates, blushing furiously as they passed by the woman and her child.

"_Damn! Why did that stupid kid have to come along and ruin everything!"_ Dearka scowled at the little boy, standing very proud like, that he had reported someone.

They sat down on the bench, not realizing the time and Dearka started to take off his skates. He had had enough of this. He was going to leave. He had already embarrassed himself too many times that day.

Miriallia didn't try to stop him. Instead, she looked around for the others. When she didn't find them, she came back to Dearka and stated, "Dearka, I can't find Cagalli and the others. Do you know where they went?"

"No", he shook his head.

"Hmmm, that's odd. I'll ask the lady at the front desk if she might know." she walked over to a lady behind a counter, discussed something with her for a few moments and then came back to Dearka with an even more confused look on her face. "She said they left about ten minutes ago. They were saying something about going to get some ice cream. Apparently they must've forgotten about us. Miriallia sat down on the bench next to Dearka in a huff.

"Well, what do we do now?"

"I don't know. We should probably just go back to the mansion and wait for them there."

"But what if they remember and decided to come back for us?" Dearka felt very weird being left all alone with Miriallia.

"Well, I guess we could wait for them outside, for a few minutes." Miriallia had taken off her skates and turned them into the lady behind the counter.

They moved outside to wait for a few minutes to see if Cagalli and the rest decided to remember their absence. After a few moments of staring at the parking lot, Miriallia got an innocently mischievous look written all across her pretty face. "Dearka, what were you going to say to me earlier, when we fell on top of each other, you know, right before that kid found us?"

Dearka stiffened up. "I actually wasn't going to **say** much of anything. I was going to **do** something" he smiled down at her with that all too well known smile of his.

Miriallia raised her brows, curious as to his meaning. "Oh?" she said like it didn't matter. "And what were you going to do?"

Their eyes met once more that evening and they both felt a gentle, refreshing breeze swish by. "This." He said abruptly turning her around and pulling her into his arms. He leaned down his head and placed his lips on hers before she could utter a protest.

At first she was surprised, but then she melted into his embrace and started to kiss him back. "_OH MAN! You kiss good. You kiss better than Tolle. Miriallia! What do you think you're doing comparing Tolle to Dearka?"_ At the sudden remembrance of Tolle, she pushed herself out of Dearka's arms, leaving him looking hurt and repentant for even trying to kiss her. "Dearka, I think we should go back to the mansion, now." Was all she said as she headed towards the rental car.

Dearka followed her, his head bent down in a mournful stance. "_I bet she remembered Tolle. You know for someone I don't even know, I sure do despise him a lot. But, oh…Miriallia, why can't you just let me hold you and love you?"_ He sat down in the drivers seat and started the ignition. He pulled out of the parking lot as soon as Miriallia was seated and buckle. They then drove the rest of the to Atha Mansion in silence, neither noticing that a mysterious black sedan, that contained a certain dark haired, handsomeCoordinator, was following them.

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**Oh Wow! I'm done. Whew. So, I hope you all enjoyed it! Finally I let them kiss, but alas, Tolle got in the way. Isn't awful?**

**Well, anyways, I only have two chpaters after this one, wow, it seemes like it went so fast. **

**Please review and tell me what you think. Also, try to guess who the person following them was. I think most of you will get it, but you never know. **

**In the next chapter, someone fromearlier comes back to haunt Miriallia. Will she succumb to his demands, or will her love for Dearka prevail? Find out in..."Loves Injury". Oh goodness I'm getting weird, LOL!**

**I purposely waited till I got ten reviws before I wrote this chapter, so if you want me to update faster, just keep te reviews coming, I like reviews,LOL!**

**Anyways, Till the next chapter, bye, for now.**


	12. Chapter 12: Love's Injury

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or its' characters, but I do own my plot and my characters.**

**Hey people! I'm back and I brought the 12th chappie with me! YAAY!**

**Anyways, I would like to say once again to all my reviewers, I love ya! Thanks for giving me those ten reviews that I was hoping for! YAAY! Oh, and thank you, Calgacos. That was very nice of you. **

**Anyways, in this chapter I will continue one fron the last one and all your questioning thoughts will be answered. And now, here is the 12th chapter, because you reviewers made me happy by giving me so many reviews within a short period of time. Therefore, I am rewarding you by giving you a chapter within a short perido of time, LOL!

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Upon arriving at Atha Mansion, both Dearka and Miriallia got out of the car in silence. A chilly breeze of wind swept by and Miriallia shivered. Dearka wanted to go over to her and give her his jacket, or something. But her knew, that right now, she would run from his touch as though it was diseased. She had remembered Tolle and there was nothing he could do now to put himself back into her good graces. He was nothing compared to the memory of Tolle. Sometimes he wondered if Tolle was actually that good, or if it was the memory of him that was the pure and loved one.

Miriallia started up the flight of stairs towards the huge door of Atha Mansion, with her hand fumbling in her purse, trying to find the key Cagalli had given her. But, Dearka raced up the steps and reached the door with his key out before she was able to find it. He opened the door with the key Cagalli had given all of them so they could come and go as they pleased. As soon as Miriallia reached the top, he opened the door for her, trying to be as much of a gentleman as he could.

She passed through the door with a slight roll of her eyes and a scowl and swiftly moved in front of him and up the stairs before he could stop her to talk to her. She ran up the stairs, down the hall, and to her bedroom, with tears starting to stream down her rosy cheeks.

Dearka tried to follow her when he noticed that she was crying, but decided that he had better not. He clambered up the steps lazily and dejected. He reached his door and stood there for a moment, listening to Miriallia's sobs inside. Finally, though, he just couldn't take it any longer, and went into his own room, which he though would block out all sounds coming from hers.

Miriallia, upon reaching her room, flopped down on her bed and all the tears just started coming. She couldn't stop them. And she didn't know why she was crying either. She loved Tolle and she missed him, but she hadn't cried for him in over a year. She just hadn't let herself. She had thought that she was over him, and that maybe her and Dearka could have something, after all. But when he kissed her, and his kiss was like none other that she had had, saddened her deeply. It shouldn't have been better than Tolle's. He was the one that she was truly in love with, and yet, it seemed that she melted more fully into Dearka's embrace than she did when ever she kissed Tolle.

Mostly she was disappointed with herself for letting Dearka effect her this much. But she was also angry that he had and she didn't know why. She encouraged him to kiss her, and yet she lashed out when he tried. She had thought she was over Tolle, but in truth, she wasn't. She was mad with herself for letting it get this far, and yet she had wanted it to get that far. "_Oh!..What is WRONG with me!" _she screamed in side her head.

She moved repositioned herself on her bed, so that her head lay on her pillow, and her foot brushed up against the pictures she had laid on her bad earlier. She sat up and reached out for them. Once in her hand, she flipped through them and slight smile wandered onto her pale lips. They were all of Dearka. In some, her was sitting next to the fountain in a very purposed pose. But in others, she had caught him off guard and he looked surprised, or silly. There was one where he had gotten hot waiting for the rest of the tour, and had taken his shoes and socks off and splashed his feet into the water fountain. That was her favorite. He hadn't caught her take the picture, so he looked serene and pleasant, and yet still had that mischievous smile that just said, "I hope no one catches me".

They were all good pictures. But that picture, she felt, was the most true to his character. She smiled. It was definitely him. Always doing something and hoping not to get caught. Mischievous and yet gentle. Gentle. He could be the most provoking man at times, and yet, there was a gentle side of him that hadn't shown to practically anyone. But he had shown it to her because he loved her. She knew that now. After that kiss, there was no mistaking it. He wasn't simply flirting with her because he thought she was cute. He loved her and was trying to make her love him too.

She closed her eyes in pain at what she had done to him and a tear squeezed out through her eyelids and rolled softly down her face. "_he loves me and I think I have feelings for him too. But not like Tolle. Tolle will always be there and I'm sorry, Dearka. I tried to see if I could let you into my heart, but I couldn't. Tolle's memory is still there and I can't ever forget him and until I do, I will never be able to fall in love with you. I am so…so sorry"._ Miriallia collapsed into her bed with closed eyes and she started crying harder and harder, until she, finally, just fell asleep, with tears still streaming down her pale face.

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**IN DEARKA'S ROOM...****

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Dearka lay on his bed, still thinking about what had happened. He had kissed her and she had refused this gesture of the love he felt for her. "_Oh Dearka, you shouldn't have kissed her! You should have waited!"_ He kept telling himself over and over again. "_But I just couldn't help myself. There was something about the look in her eyes at that moment that told me that she was going to welcome my kiss. Boy! I sure got a rude awakening!"_ Dearka rolled over on his bed and moaned. He wasn't physically injured or anything. But he still felt like someone had just stabbed him in the heart. "_Love's injury, I guess"_ Dearka told himself that that was what it was. That was why his heart ached.

He rolled over again, noticing how silent it had gotten. Even though he had come to his room, he could still hear Miriallia's sobs. But now it had stopped. He didn't hear anything coming from her room. He got up off his bed and tiptoed to the door. He was afraid that even the slightest sound, even in his own room, night disturb her into violent sobs again. He opened his door and crossed out into the hallway and stood right in front of her door.

No, there definitely was no sound coming from within her room. Her reached fro the doorknob and started to turn it slightly. He cracked it just enough to see her sleeping form on her bed. "_Well, I guess it's good that she is sleeping it off."_

He went down the hall and sat down on the steps in the great hall. He rested his elbows on his knees and let out a sigh. He heard the front door open and looked up. "Hey, where have you guys been?" He walked down the steps and greeted the ones who had left him and Miriallia at the roller rink alone.

Lacus smiled and ran up to Dearka, "Oh! We had a wonderful time! We went to go get ice cream!" Lacus ran back to be at Kira's side, in a semi dreamy state.

Dearka looked puzzled. "Than why did you leave me and Miriallia alone at the rink while you guys went to get ice cream? I mean, you didn't even tell us you were leaving!" Dearka threw up his hands to emphasize that he was slightly ticked.

"Well…" Athrun was the only one who spoke up while everyone else seemed to try and hide behind everyone else. It was a rather amusing sight, actually. "Why don't you ask Cagalli for the answer to that one". Athrun pushed his fiance forward.

Cagalli gave Athrun a brief glare and then turned her attention to Dearka. "Well….you see….we…I….well what I mean to say is that I wanted you and Mir to spend some time alone!" She finally managed to blurt out.

Dearka was rather stunned. He hadn't realized that Cagalli was trying to play match maker. "Oh." Dearka looked down to the ground, watching his feet, nervously.

"By the way," Athrun started, "Where is Mir?"

Dearka flicked his thumb in the direction of the stairs. "She's upstairs in her room. Last time I checked, she was asleep."

Cagalli smiled and a mischievous thought occurred to the blonde. "Oh? So you're checking up on her now?"

Dearka flushed and his entire face heated up into an obvious blush. Lacus and Kimiko giggled, while Kira and Athrun tried to restrain them selves, while Cagalli laughed out loud. And Yzak…well he wasn't in a very good mood. His friend had abandoned him. Yes he forgot about the fact that they had actually abandoned his friend. And he had gotten stuck spending all his time with Kimiko, having to resist the impulse to stare at her all the time.

Finally, they all started to calm down and go up stairs. It was late and they needed to get up in the morning to actually start on the peace talks. They all retired to their own rooms and Dearka went into his.

He took off his cloths and changed into his nightwear. He brushed back the covers on his bed and crawled in. His tense muscles relaxed and he soon fell asleep.

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LATER THAT NIGHT...

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A black sedan came from the road where it had been hiding and pulled up in the front of the mansion and parked. A man got out and closed his door silently. He was tall and rather handsome. His dark hair got swished around in the night breeze. He stalked around the house, looking in each and every window he passed. It was all dark inside so he knew everyone had gone asleep He reached the back of the house and clambered up a trellis. His swift movements were made with an ease that signified he was most likely a Coordinator.

He swung over to a balcony and lifted himself over the edge. The moon was at the perfect angle to allow him easy sight into through the windows. He peeked in the room and saw two sleeping forms. One had pink hair and the other had brown. This wasn't the room he was looking for. He moved on. He leapt over to another balcony that was about seven feet away, again displaying his Coordinator skills. He peeked in. He couldn't exactly tell who was in there, but he knew it wasn't who he was looking for.

He kept doing this, clambering from balcony to balcony, jumping from rail to rail, finding some inhabited by people, others empty or containing only furniture, until he came upon one that meant he was getting close. It contained a blonde with lavender colored eyes. It was Dearka's room. He jumped over one more balcony and, discovering the person he was searching for, slightly opened the sliding door. He was able to slip in without a waking the sleeping brunette.

He crept over to her bed and leaned over her. She felt his shadow looming in and her sky blue eyes suddenly fluttered open. Upon the sight of him she sat up immediately jumping back. "Jubin!" She cried, startled.

"Yes." Jubin straightened himself up, standing erect.

"Wha…what are you doing here?" She clambered out of bed and quickly out on her robe.

Jubin flashed her a devious smile, "I'm here for you, Miriallia." He stated it as though she should have guessed already.

Miriallia was starting to get scared. "How…how did you get in here?" she edged her towards the door, but her flew in beside her and blocked the path.

"I came up the trellis. But does that really matter? I mean we're here, together, you and I, all alone. We could be doing things other than just meaningless talk." He moved closer to her. She felt his hot breath on her face and cringed. He leaned his head down and grabbed her round her waist. Her pulled her to him and she couldn't so anything about it. He was too strong for her. He pulled her closer and closer, ignoring her protests, until their lips met and he brutally kissed her, bruising her lips.

She pushed him away long enough to scream and then was pulled back into the embrace. He fingered her body and she was fearing the worst, until she heard the door behind her being banged down. It was Dearka. He had heard her scream and had come immediately. The door collapsed under his force and lunged into the room, already knowing what would face him.

He punched Jubin on the side of the mouth and that made Jubin go flying to the floor.

Jubin looked at Miriallia and then at Dearka. "So that's the way it is, is it?" He stood up, rubbing his mouth, which was now bleeding. "Well, then, Miriallia, If I can't have you, then neither will he!" He yelled into the dark and pulled out his gun. He raised it up and pointed it at Miriallia.

Dearka panicked as his finger tightened on the trigger. Dearka ran in front of Miriallia and a shot was heard. Dearka fell to the floor in a limp heap. Blood was seeping through his shirt and draining onto the floor.

Miriallia let out a scream and lunged at Jubin. He had made her mad. Jubin wasn't expecting this sort of thing from the beautiful Miriallia, so he was naturally taken off guard. He stepped back out of her path and tripped over her suitcase, which was lying on the floor next to her bed. He fell back and hit the ground, his gun landing flying out of his grasp and landing on the floor next to him.

Before he knew what hit him, Miriallia grabbed the gun and a single shot was fired. Jubin's head fell back and the last expression he had was that of utter shock.

Miriallia collapsed on the floor, all the strength she had being drained out of her and horror written all across her face. "_Oh Miriallia, what have you done! You have killed someone! Murdered someone. Even if he was trying to rape you, it was still wrong. But he did shoot Dearka! And that is unforgivable!" _At the remembrance of what happened to Dearka she rose up and flew to his side.

"Oh Dearka…" Miriallia moved Dearka's head onto her lap, not caring about the blood staining her nightgown. Tears were now falling down her face.

Dearka used what little strength he had left to raise his arm up and cup her ace in the palm of his hand, wiping her tears away with his thumb. "I love you, Miriallia." he said finally letting her know, for sure, the feelings that had grown in his heart.

Miriallia bent her head down and kissed him on the forehead. "I know. I love you too." She started sobbing even more. She hadn't realized how much she had loved him until now, when he was lying on the floor, helpless and injured, dying.

Dearka used all his effort to smile at her revelation. He was in a great amount of pain, but right now, he felt he was the happiest that he had ever been. She had said that she loved him. She loved him….and then his eyes closed and she felt his muscles give way, his head falling back and losing what strength he had, the blood still oozing out of the wound in his chest……

**TO BE CONTINUED...

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**Well, I'm done with the 12th chapter. Sorry about the cliff hanger, but i promise that it's not over and that I'll update soon.**

**Please review. This was the second to the last chapter, so that means that as soon as you lovely reviewers give me ten reviews, you can find out the end of my story.**

**In the next chapter, you will see the conclusion of what happens. Will Dearka survive, or will he die on Miriallia's lap? Will they live happily ever after since Miriallia now realizes how much she loved him, or will Tolle's memory wtill get in the way? Find out in Chapter 13, "Forever, your protector".**

**The next chapter has the same title as the fic name because it contains a scene that gave me the idea for the name. **

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it will come back to see the conclusion. At the end of the next chapter I will tell you about another fic I plan on writting and I will let you all vote on something. **

**Thank you again for being so loyal in reading my fic and for giving me the encouragement to continue with it.**

**Anyways, Please review and come back for the final chapter!**


	13. Chapter 13: Forever, Your Protector

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or it's characters, but I do own this plot and the characters that I came up with.**

**Hello Everyone! You are here to witness the finale of "Forever, You Protector" aren't you?**

**Well, then, let me just say a few things before I get started.**

**First of all, I would like to thank you all, my faithful reviewers. You gave me 14 reviews in less than a day and that is amazing! Thank you thank you thank you! I just might get my goal of a 100 reviews, yet! After all, I have 95 right now, so hopefully i will get at least 5after this chapter! Again, Thank you! I couldn't have gone near as far with out you, Especially two reviewers inpaticular. That would be Angel of Dreams and An1391. You two have both been very encouraging to me. Especially you, Angel of Dreams. If it hadn't been for you, I would never have even thought of writing my own fic.Thank you. You are such a good friend and I am sooooo grateful that you are now back on the net with us all!**

**Anyways, This chapter is entiled "Forever, Your Protector", because there is a scene in here that gave me the idea for the name of the fic.**

**Also, I know some of you feel that I jipped you on the last chapter by not having any Yzak/Kiki. Now, to answer you I just want totell you to remember that this was a Dea/Mir fic. But I like Yzak and Kiki too.So, to make it up to you, I am willing to let you all vote on whether you think I should write a one-shot with the two of them when they go to get ice cream. You can make the vote in your review. But, before I write it I want your assurrances that you will actually read and review it,ok? LOL!**

**I am also going to have a few other votes for you to do at the end of the chapter. But I am not going to introduce them until after this chapter because otherwise it would make no sense to you. Ok?**

**Well, I think that's it for now. So, let's get started, shall we?**

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His Lavender eyes fluttered open to rest upon a white sterile looking ceiling. He turned his head to the right and saw a window and some chairs in front of it. Everything was white. He managed to turn his head to the left and then his lavender orbs were met with the sight of a door, and small sitting chair, and a nurse who was checking his I.V.

The nurse looked slightly startled by his movement and immediately ran over to am intercom system and she seemed to contact a doctor, or something. His mind was still a bit fuzzy so it was hard to tell.

The nurse came over and asked him a question. He wasn't entirely sure what it was, but he thought it was something like, "how are you feeling?", and of course the answer to that was, "horrible".

"Oh?" the nurse asked, "And where does it hurt?"

"_figures. It's just like a damned nurse to ask you where it hurts when you still don't even know if you have the body parts that you feel hurting!"_ "My chest." he said, not sure. But her thought that was the most centralized area of his pain, so that became his answer.

"Well, that's to be expected, considering what happened to you last night." The nurse started to walk out the door.

"Wait!' he tried to sit up, but he couldn't. He was too weak. "What happened to me?"

The nurse smiled warmly. "I think your friends would be better at explaining that." And then she stepped out of the small room.

A few moments later, a female doctor dressed in a white lab coat, cam into the room. "Hello!", he said cheerily, "And how are we feeling today, sleepy head?"

"_I don't know about WE, but I'm sure you are feeling fine, where as I feel like I just got shot in the stomach!"_ "I guess I'm feeling fine." he said bravely.

"Oh! Then you must be doing better than I expected. That's good!" She said cheerfuly and sat down on a little stool that she had pulled up beside his bedside. "But let's check you out just to be sure." She started examining him.

"_What is it with her and the plural phrases! I don't see anyone else in this room, and I certainly know that I am not examining myself!"_ he rolled his eyes back in his head. This was getting tedious and he wanted answers. "Look, Miss, I would really appreciate it if you would tell me what happened".

The doctor looked surprised. "You mean you don't know?"

Dearka shook his head.

"Well, then. I should probably go and get one of your friends to explain it to you, because I am still not entirely sure". She got up and immediately stalked out of the room.

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**OUT IN THE WAITING ROOM ...****

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"Miriallia, sit down! You are going to give yourself a heart attack if you keep doing that!" Cagalli shouted at the pacing form of Miriallia. "Besides, it's bugging the hell out of me!"

"Oh. Sorry" Miriallia sat down in the chair closest to her. "I just wished that they would let me see him. I'm so worried. Last night, before the ambulance came, I thought he had died when he collapse don my lap. I thought he had died. But he wasn't, but they still say he is not doing to good. I am just so worried that he is on his death bed right now and I can't even comfort him!" Miriallia collapsed into tears, and her shoulders went limp. She was also very tired. She hadn't slept all last night and it was starting to take it's toll on her.

"I know, Mir." Cagalli went over to her and gave her a gentle hug. "We are all worried about him." Lacus joined in and so did Kimiko. They all went to their friends side to comfort her.

Athrun, Kira, and Yzak were all very nervous, although they couldn't let the girls see it because they had to be strong for them. Athrun fought the urge to get up and start pacing as well. And Kira, well he didn't really know what to do. He and Dearka knew each other, but they weren't all that close. But he was saddened by the effect it had on Miriallia. He didn't know how she would survive if she lost another man she loved. And Yzak, well he was desperately trying to keep tears out of his eyes. His best friend was on his death bed, in a coma, and he was powerless to do anything about it.

It was very hard on Miriallia. She hadn't realized that she was this much in love with him until she saw him lying on the floor that night, bleeding and weak. She couldn't lose him, she just couldn't.

She was angry with her self. "_If her dies I will never forgive myself. I used Tolle as an excuse not to get close to him. I thought I was still too much in love with Tolle. But Tolle is dead and he doesn't matter anymore. Somehow, I fell in love with Dearka. And when he kissed me and showed me that he loved me, I practically bit him back. How could I do that to the man I love! Oh…Miriallia, how COULD you! You thought you loved Tolle, that's how. And I believe I did, or at least I was afraid to love anyone other than Tolle. Tolle is dead and there is nothing I can do about it. And now, the only other man I have ever loved, is on his death bed right now and I can't even tell him that I love him, That Tolle no longer makes me hurt with his death, that just his death would make me hurt. I guess the saying is true. You don't know what you had, until you lose it…." _

Miriallia burst into another fit of tears. She was afraid that she was going to lose Dearka and that scared her even more than losing Tolle. She and Tolle had known each other for years, grown up together. But Their love was that of a girl and a boy. Her and Dearka's love was that of a man and a woman.

Miriallia looked up when she heard a woman's voice. It came from a doctor and she immediately jumped up and went over to her. "Oh! Is he alright? Is he still alive? Can I see him? I need to see him!" Miriallia didn't even let the doctor say anything.

The doctor laughed slightly. "Well, he is awake now, no longer in a coma. I believe he is going to make a full recovery" Miriallia looked very much relieved. "But he is still very weak. So I will let only one of you go in to see him."

The group huddled together for a few moments to decide on who to let see him first. Cagalli pushed Miriallia forward towards the doctor. "Are you sure?" Cagalli and Athrun nodded. "But what about you, Yzak? He is you best friend".

Cagalli stood back in horror of what rude thing Yzak was going to say next.

But, Yzak smiled and, for once in his life, decided to be nice. "Yeah," he shrugged his shoulders ,"but you are his girl and he loves you. You should be the first person he lays eyes on." Everyone looked slightly shocked, except Kimiko, who just looked proud. "Besides," he added, "you know me, I'm liable to say something rude to him and in his condition, he needs someone to say something sweet to him," He winked at Miriallia.

Miriallia ran over to him and gave him a big hug. Yzak blushed. "Thank you Yzak!" and then she went off, following the doctor down the hall towards Dearka's room.

Kimiko went to Yzak's side and held his hand. "Thank you Yzak." she said sweetly and ever so seductively.

Yzak looked confused. "For what?"

"For being so sweet and letting me know that I can have it all." She said this simply and then gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Yzak flushed and his head now looked like a turnip with silver hair.

* * *

**IN DEARKA"S HOSPITAL ROOM...

* * *

**

Dearka heard a slight rap on the door right before he saw the love of his life enter the room. "_Miriallia!"_ he thought as she came over and sat down on the stool the doctor had used earlier. He looked at her tear stained face and was saddened by it. "Miriallia, are you ok?" he asked and then she her head fell on the edge of his bed. "Miriallia, what's wrong!" Dearka was now very worried. He tried to sit up again, but he managed to only reach out to her with his arm. He lifted her chin and saw the tears running down her face. "Miriallia, what is wrong?"

She mustered together a smile and said, "Oh, Dearka. Nothing is wrong."

Dearka looked confused. "Then why are you crying?"

"Because," she paused like that was supposed to answer his question. "because you're hurt and lying on a hospital bed with a chest wound, and all you say is if I'm alright". She burst into another fit of tears and he controlled himself from wrapping her up into his arms, not that he physically could because he was very weak.

He still didn't fully understand. "I'm not quite sure what you mean?"

Miriallia regained control of herself and stated, "What I mean is that here you are, injured, and you ask **ME** how **I** feel. You're not concerned about yourself, but you are about me. Oh Dearka you are so good!" Miriallia sobbed some more and accidentally landed her head down on his chest. Dearka yelped in pain and Miriallia immediately apologized. "Oh Dearka! I am so sorry!"

"That's alright." he said wincing at the pain it had caused. "I'll be alright." Dearka thought of something. "By the way, do you know how I got into this situation? I don't quite remember. It's all a little hazy. I asked the doctor, but she said I should ask one of you."

Miriallia looked a little bewildered. "You mean you don't know?"

Dearka shook his head. "I sort of know. Like I know that Jubin was the one who shot me and I was in your room when it happened, but not much other than that."

Miriallia sat up straight in her seat. "Well, I tall started, I guess, when I was in my room. I sensed someone's shadow over me. I wasn't sure how he got in, but later the police said they found the balcony doors had been picked open. I looked up and saw Jubin staring at me. I asked him what he wanted and he said he wanted me. I immediately tried to get away, but her was too fast for me. He blocked my way to the door, and then he started to, uh, well…., he kissed me and tried to other stuff. But I managed to scream and I guess you heard me, because you came shortly afterwards and punched him. He fell to the ground but then got back up and pulled out his gun. He said that if eh couldn't have me then neither would anyone else. And he fired, but you got in the path of the bullet and that's when you got hurt." Miriallia stopped, afraid to go any further.

"And then what happened? What happened to Jubin?"

Miriallia's eyes started to tear up again and voice trembled as she spoke. "I, um, After he shot you I got mad, and he tripped over my suitcase when I went after him. He dropped his gun and I grabbed it and I, um, uh, I shot him." She let a tear escape and run down her cheek. "I killed him, Dearka."

Dearka moved his hand to her face and cupped it wiping the tear away. She started to cry more deeply and Dearka pulled her head down to rest on his shoulder, ignoring the pain it caused him. "Shhhh, don't cry baby. It wasn't your fault. You were just protecting yourself. There was nothing you could do to stop it." Miriallia felt comfortable crying on his shoulder and remained there as Dearka slipped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I know Dearka, that's what the police said too. They said that I was only protecting myself. But Dearka…."

"Yes?"

She let out a strong sigh. "I didn't do it because of what he tried to do to me. I did it because of what did to you. I was angry when he shot you. I went bazzerk!" She explained, tears still welling up in her eyes. She wiped them away before he got the chance.

Dearka felt his heart leap when she said this. "_She killed him because of me? I know it sounds demented, but I can't help but feel happy because of that." _

"Oh Dearka! And you were so brave!" Dearka blushed. "You jumped right in front of the bullet to save me. You protected me, Dearka, and I want to thank you."

Dearka reached down into his pant pocket. He felt this was the right time to ask her. Only, he discovered that he wasn't wearing pants. In fact, he wasn't wearing any of the clothes he had been wearing earlier. He was now dressed in a hospital gown. "Miriallia, do you know where my pants are?"

Miriallia nodded. "Yes they are over there", she signaled to a chair by the door, "But why do you need them? You're not going to try and leave, are you?"

Dearka couldn't help but chuckle a little. He could barely move his arm, not to mention find the strength to get up and walk out of there. "No. But could you get my pants for me? Please?"

Miriallia nodded again. "Yes. Alright." She got up and lifted his pants up off of the chair. She came back and sat down again, handing the pants to him. He forced himself to sit up, with a groan.

Dearka reached into the pocket, holding his hand inside around something. "Miriallia, remember how you just thanked me for protecting you?" she nodded and then her heart leaped as she saw him pull a little box out of his pant pocket. "Miriallia, I would be most honored if you would let me become, forever, your protector." he flipped open the box and it revealed to her the same sapphire ring she had admired in the jewelry store.

Miriallia's eyes lit up and she threw herself into Dearka's arms and kissed him squarely on the mouth, and they embraced the most passionate kiss either of them had ever experienced. Dearka was in a lot a pain, but at the same time, enjoying the most happy moment of his entire life.

After they finally broke apart, Miriallia rested her head on Dearka's shoulder and cried into his neck. The tears she cried, thought, were not tears of pain, or sorrow, or sadness, or worry, but tears of joy!

* * *

**FOUR YEARS LATER...

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**

He pulled up in his black sports car, hopped out, and walked up the steps to his house. It was such a pretty house, small and brick with a nice petite garden surrounding the walkway. He walked into the house and was greeted by two small children, both about the same age, about three. They ran up to their father and he lifted them both up into his arms and they each planted a slobbery kiss on each of his cheeks. The boy had blonde hair, like his father, and blue eyes, like his mother. The girl had reddish-brown hair, like her mother, and lavender eyes, like her father.

He walked further into the house and found what he was looking for sitting in the living room. "Ah! Miriallia! Shouldn't you be getting ready?" She had been sitting on the couch, facing away from him, so he was surprised to find, when she stood up, that she was already attired in a pale blue evening gown. Her hair was put up in a fancy bun and she wore a pair of drop sapphire earrings that matched her wedding ring. "Oh." he said when he saw how she was attired. "Well, then, let's get the kids ready!" He said cheerfully and Miriallia just looked at him with an odd cock to her brows.

"Dearka, since you haven't noticed, they are already dressed for the wedding." She tapped her pale blue heals on the carpeted floor of their home.

"Oh." Dearka turned beet red as he looked at the nicely dressed children in his arms and then let out a laugh. "I guess I'm just a little worried about the wedding".

"A little", Miriallia mimicked.

"All right then" Dearka put down the happy children and adjusted his red elite dress uniform, "I guess we should get going or else we'll be late."

Miriallia nodded. "Ok, Dearka. Let's go, then." she grabbed her pale blur hand bag on her way out the door.

She fastened the kids into the car seats in the back as Dearka started up the engine. They drove quite a ways, until they stopped at ORB Memorial park. There were a lot of cars, so they had to look a little ways before they found a place to park. After parking, they got and they both unpacked the kids. Dearka took the boy, and Miriallia took the girl.

They walked over the lawn and towards a big gazebo. "Well, it's certainly a nice day for the wedding!" Dearka stated cheerfully as they met up with Kira. Miriallia went on to find them a seat, while Dearka stayed and talked to Kira. "So, buddy. It's been a while since I've seen you. What's new with you?"

Kira pointed over to Lacus, who was sitting in the front row of seat lined up in front of the gazebo. It would have been rather odd that he had pointed to Lacus, except for the fact that she had six kids all lined up in a row next to her, AND she had a belly the size of a water melon.

Dearka couldn't help himself. He laughed. "I guess, you've been pretty busy, eh?" Kira blushed. The last time Dearka had seen Kira was about a year ago and they only had five kids then.

Miriallia signaled for Dearka to come over to her and he excused himself from Kira. He walked up to Miriallia to find her chatting with Athrun and Cagalli. "Hey Athrun! It's so good to see you!" Dearka greeted Athrun with a hug. "So, what's been new with you? How's little miss spitfire?" he said with a grin.

"Huh? Oh! You mean Shrannah. Oh, she's fine. She should be around here somewhere." Athrun looked around for his progeny. "Huh, that's weird. I can't find her. I wonder where she went."

Right after that statement, Dearka felt a tug at his pant leg. "I think I found her" He lifted her up into his arms. "Hey Shrannah! And how are you?"

The little girl spoke up in a very cute, but loud voice. She was obviously Cagalli's daughter. "I'm fine Uncle Dede!" Said the cute little blonde with emerald green eyes. " I'm three and yesterday Daddy gave me a Haro! Want to see!"

Dearka couldn't help feeling the need to run away at the mention of a Haro. They were highly annoying and he was glad he hadn't seen Lacus bearing any with her. He guessed Kira had banned her from doing so. "Ah, no sweaty, that's alright." Dearka sat the little girl back down. "Athrun, how dare you give her a Haro!" Dearka kidded.

Athrun just smiled. "So, how are Dana and Michael?"

"Oh, they are as good as ever!"

"Hey Dearka, the ceremony is about to begin!" Miriallia ran up to him and brought him back to their seats.

He saw Yzak appear in the gazebo, looking very nervous. He heard the music start to play and he looked back to see a smiling Kimiko all dressed in lavender. She walked up the aisle in procession with the music. Yzak tried to smile when he saw her and wished that Dearka was by him right then. He had wished he could have had Dearka as his best man. But, the only ones who Kimiko would have made be her brides maids were Cagalli, Miriallia, and Lacus, and all of them had husbands already and they couldn't be her matrons, because one, that would just sound funny, and two, they also had the responsibility to watch after their kids. So she decided to not have any brides maids, or matrons, and they all convinced Yzak that it would look funny if she didn't have anyone and he did. So, Yzak was up in the gazebo alone, with the exception of the pasture.

Kimiko gracefully walked up the steps of the gazebo, and Yzak gulped. He was nervous as hell. Heck, every time he was around this woman he was nervous as hell. He didn't even know how mustered up the courage to ask her to marry him. Or did she ask him? It was all very hazy in Yzak's mind and he couldn't even remember how this all started. All he knew was that he was there and he was about to become the luckiest man alive, and he was nervous as hell.

Kimiko stood next to Yzak and the minister started his wedding speech. Dearka listened for a few moments, but then lost interest. He looked around him, at the people he was so close to. They had all grown up after the war. They had gotten married and had kids. He looked at Athrun, who was trying to keep his daughter to sit still. Shrannah was almost an exact replica of her mother. Then he looked at Kira and Lacus and their six kids. They were so content the way they were, growing old together. He glanced back up at Yzak, who was looking more and more like the canary being swallowed by the cat as he said his vows. Dearka smiled. They had all found the perfect life for each and every one of them.

Dearka looked over to Miriallia, who was watching the proceedings intently and looking more beautiful than ever as she did so, and then at his kids, who were both fidgeting in their seats. And then he thought contentedly,"_You, Dearka Elsman, have the perfect wife , the perfect kids, and the perfect life. Ahhhhh, Life just can't get any better than this!"_

**_THE END!_**

_

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_

**WOW! I Am done! The story is now over! Aw, the story is over.**

**You know, I almost cried when writing this chapter, LOL! I am so lame, lol!**

**Well, what did you think? When you review, I don't want you to just give me the review for this chapter, but fot he entire story, ok?**

**Also, when you review, I would like to know your opinion on whether you would like to see a sequel. Here is the teaser for it...**

**Life's Little Surprises!**

**You know those little surprises life tend to hand you shortly after marriage. Well this fic is about how Yzak adjusts to the prospect of fatherhood,LOL!**

**So, do you think you might be interested in reading a fic about Yzak and Kiki? **

**I plan in writing it anyway. But you still get to vote on it. **

**I would also like to know it you think I should give Dearka and Miriallia a third child? Please tell me in the review. Thanks. **

**Thank again! **

**Over and out, till next time!**

**Signing off, (for now)**

**Writer of Dreams**


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